Cardio Diagnostics And AGEPHA Pharma Team Up To Advance Inflammation-Driven Coronary Heart Disease Diagnosis And Treatment

When it comes to heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and behavioral factors such as smoking and physical inactivity aren't the only culprits. Inflammation also plays a significant role as it triggers and speeds up the build-up of plaque in arteries known as atherosclerosis. So much so that the American Heart Association has committed $15 million to study inflammation's impact on cardiovascular and brain health. 

It's also at the heart of Cardio Diagnostics Holdings Inc.’s CDIO agreement with AGEPHA Pharma. The company, which leverages AI to revolutionize cardiovascular disease prevention and detection with precision epigenetics, has teamed up with AGEPHA Pharma to enable the validation of a precision-guided approach to treating inflammation-driven coronary heart disease (CHD). 

Under the terms of the deal, AGEPHA Pharma will supply Cardio Diagnostics with LODOCO® (low-dose colchicine), its FDA-approved anti-inflammatory medication, for a Cardio Diagnostics-sponsored clinical study to explore the use of Cardio Diagnostics' PrecisionCHD™ blood test to identify patients with inflammation-driven CHD and assess their response to LODOCO® over time.

Inflammation's Role In Heart Disease 

The study comes at a time when the medical community has recognized inflammation as a key driver of atherosclerosis and adverse cardiac events, reports Cardio Diagnostics. As the inflammation causes plaque to build up, it narrows the arteries, restricting blood flow, which can lead to heart attacks or damage the heart muscles – creating difficulty in pumping blood to the heart. 

Chronic inflammation can also result in blood clotting, which could also cause heart attacks and strokes. It is also linked to Ischemia with No Obstructive Coronary Arteries (INOCA), which is reduced blood flow to the heart with no major blocks in the main coronary arteries that are visible on standard angiograms. Patients experience chest pains, fatigue and shortness of breath – symptoms similar to those linked to obstructive CHD – but without the ease in diagnosing it. As a result, the clinical community is seeking more informative tools to guide targeted treatment approaches, says Cardio Diagnostics. 

It's a big market in need of better diagnostics. According to the American Heart Association, by 2050, about six in 10 U.S. adults will have some type of heart disease. That amounts to over 184 million adults in the U.S. alone. It's no surprise that the heart attack diagnostics market size is projected to reach about $25 billion by 2033. 

AI For The Assist 

Cardio Diagnostics' PrecisionCHD test is an AI-powered integrated genetic-epigenetic test to aid in the diagnosis and management of CHD. The six DNA methylation markers are evaluated by the PrecisionCHD test map to modifiable drivers of CHD, including inflammation. For each patient, the PrecisionCHD test provides personalized insights into their specific molecular drivers that could help inform more targeted treatment and clinical decision making, reports the company. This, and the dynamic nature of DNA methylation make the PrecisionCHD test uniquely suited for non-invasive, repeatable monitoring of inflammation, offering a significant advantage over traditional imaging-based approaches, reports Cardio Diagnostics. 

Cardio Diagnostics is currently evaluating potential clinical sites for the study, which will use PrecisionCHD to identify patients with inflammation-driven CHD who will be prescribed LODOCO by a physician. The patient will then be retested to examine changes in inflammation via DNA methylation signatures. The final study design will be outlined in partnership with the principal Investigator of the clinical site and registered as a clinical trial, reports the company. 

"This study reflects a precision medicine model where diagnosis and treatment are both guided by the patient's unique molecular insights," said Robert Philibert, MD, PhD, chief medical officer at Cardio Diagnostics. "All interventions have potential adverse events. Fortunately, through the use of PrecisionCHD, forward leaning clinicians can maximize the therapeutic index of cardiovascular treatment plans for their patients."

Inflammation plays a big role in heart disease, but diagnosing it can be difficult. The medical community and researchers are aware of that, which is why money is being directed that way. Cardio Diagnostics' PrecisionCHD could hold promise in helping doctors diagnose, and ultimately prevent inflammation-driven coronary heart disease. With heart disease a growing problem, any tools that better diagnose and direct treatment will likely be welcome by the medical community. 

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