 |
|
Delivering personalized medicine one patient at a time
HunterHeart offers physicians and patients sophisticated risk characterization and personalized therapy guidelines for cardiovascular disease. HNL will be performing a battery of advanced tests, offering an accompanying nutrition program, and wellness coaching. Gerry Weiss, MD, Hunter's Medical Director stated: "With appropriate risk characterization and treatment, cardiovascular disease can be prevented for many patients and MI and stroke events can be significantly reduced."
"HNL's reputation for quality, service and innovation is exceptional. Hunter is delighted to be working with HNL to reduce cardiovascular disease in PA and NJ," stated Chris Riedel, Hunter's CEO. HNL's President and CEO, David G. Beckwith Ph.D., stated that "the HunterHeart program will assist our physicians in delivering comprehensive cardiovascular health advice to their patients, and establishes HNL as a center of excellence for preventive cardiology."
About Health Network Laboratories
Based in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Health Network Laboratories (HNL) is a multi-regional medical laboratory with technologically advanced facilities in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. HNL serves the need of the public and health care communities performing almost 6 million clinical and pathology tests each year. HNL is consistently rated highly by physicians and clients in all areas of laboratory performance and customer satisfaction. HNL offers a full complement of clinical laboratory and anatomic pathology services, including highly specialized esoteric testing to hospitals, physicians, long-term and assisted living facilities, businesses and government agencies. For more information, visit healthnetworklabs.com
About Hunter Labs, Inc.
Hunter Laboratories is the largest locally owned and operated clinical reference laboratory in northern California. HunterHeart is one of Hunter's proprietary disease detection and management programs that are being rolled-out across the U.S. Hunter's Incelldx mRNA test for cervical cancer detection is also being introduced across the U.S. This test is the only accurate HPV method for women under 30, and has better specificity for predicting CIN2/CIN3 on biopsy.
On Saturday at Eurogin 2010 in Monte Carlo, Monaco, Dede Pierry from Hunter Laboratories presented data on over 3000 women describing the improved performance of Hunter's HPV E6, E7 mRNA test over currently available HPV tests. In particular, Hunter's test demonstrated increased specificity for pre-cervical cancer and cervical cancer in women with abnormal Pap smears compared to currently available HPV DNA tests. In addition, the authors concluded that the Hunter HPV test is effective for cervical cancer screening in women under 30 because it detects the presence of pre-cervical cancer lesions rather than the presence or absence of of HPV. The Eurogin conference held in Monaco is one of the premier HPV conferences in the world attracting over 1000 attendees and thought leaders. Hunter Labs was selected for the following presentation:
INTRACELLULAR HPV E6, E7 mRNA QUANTIFICATION (HPV ONCOTECT) PREDICTS CIN 2/3 IN BIOPSIES BETTER THAN PAP SCREENING FOR WOMEN REGARDLESS OF AGE
Lack, B; Pierry, D; Chen, V; Fusco, J; and Weiss MD, G.
Objective: Current recommendations for cervical cancer screening involve the use of the Pap smear and HPV testing. The combination of these tests is necessary since cervical cytology (Pap) has relatively low sensitivity but high specificity and conversely HPV DNA testing has high sensitivity but low specificity for dysplasia and cancer. We wanted to investigate avenues for improvement over the current screening algorithm.
Methods: We analyzed 3133 liquid based cytology specimens from women aged 19 to 75 using HPV Oncotect E6, E7 mRNA detection kit and compared the results to cytology and in 200 cases referred to biopsy. In addition, p16 immunohistochemistry was performed on a subset of equivocal biopsy specimens.
Conclusion: We report the use of an intracellular HPV E6, E7 mRNA quantification platform (HPV OncoTect), a single test, shows greater sensitivity and specificity than pap for CIN 2/3 on biopsy. HPV Oncotect was positive in 69% of CIN 2 and 89%of CIN 3 cases in all women analyzed. The specificity of HPV OncoTect was 94.5%. In women 30 years old HPV Oncotect detected 90 % of CIN 2/3 indicating this could be a valuable diagnostic for the under 30 age group. The mRNA detection method outperformed cytology in 60% of HSIL cases and showed 50% correlation with p16 staining performed on biopsies. HPV Oncotect demonstrates similar sensitivity to HPV DNA and greater sensitivity than pap for the detection of CIN 2/3 in cervical biopsies. HPV Oncotect shows much greater specificity than both HPV DNA and pap for CIN 2/3. In cases where longitudinal biopsy data was available, the quantitative E6, E7 mRNA result was also able to predict CIN progression/regression. HPV Oncotect demonstrates a performance profile that might allow for use in primary cervical cancer screening.
Vishesh Jain, an intern at Hunter Labs in the summer of 2009 has been selected as a semi-finalist in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS), which is America's most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, the Society for Science & the Public (SSP) has provided a national stage for America's best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.
Jain was one of three Harker school students participating in Hunter labs summer internship program for high school students entering their senior year. During the internship, Jain was given the responsibility of running a variety of calculations on the enormous data collection of various cardiovascular tests and patient histories for over 3,000 patients. When evaluating patients with "normal" Standard Lipid Panels, he noticed a large population of patients with abnormal Advanced Cardiovascular Risk Marker Tests. Using his findings, Jain co-authored a paper entitled: "The Prevalence of Hidden Cardiovascular Risk: The Inadequacy of the Standard Lipid Panel."
Jain said his favorite part of the internship was participating in meetings with Hunter Laboratories executives, which often included people from other companies. "These meetings both allowed me to practice presenting scientific material in an intelligible manner and gave me a glimpse into the real mechanisms and relationships in the corporate world," he said.
Having the opportunity to work within a real laboratory with actual professionals was beyond any internship he ever imagined. "I thought I would be cleaning test tubes, I had no idea that I would get the opportunity to work directly with the CEO and Medical Director to create a research paper that will soon be published."
Alumni of STS have made extraordinary contributions to science and hold more than 100 of the world's most coveted science and math honors, including seven Nobel Prizes and three National Medals of Science. Over 1,700 students entered the Intel STS, and only 300 semi-finalists were announced. Vishesh Jain was one of them. "Originally I had no intention of entering. I figured it was such a long-shot that there was no point. But my parents, Chris Riedel and the rest of the staff at Hunter kept encouraging me to try. And boy am I happy I did!"
Hunter Laboratories, Inc., announced today that it has entered into an Agreement with Sequenom (San Diego, CA) to assist Sequenom in developing a new maternal blood marker to better identify pregnancies that have a child with a chromosome abnormality such as Down syndrome. Such a successful test may reduce the need for invasive procedures such as amniocenteses and CVS. Hunter will collect and process specimens from local medical practices in accordance with Sequenom's methodologies. The specimens will then be sent to Sequenom for clinical testing. Hunter's CEO, Chris Riedel, commented that Hunter Labs was selected by Sequenom because of the company's sophistication in handling samples for DNA and RNA testing.
Sequenom's development efforts with the SEQureDX Technology may provide a potentially practice changing approach to prenatal screening for Down syndrome. The key attributes of the Sequenom test are that it is a Direct test vs. a Surrogate test, can be performed in either the 1st or 2nd trimester of pregnancy, is highly sensitive, has a very low false-positive rate, does not suffer from error caused by inaccurate determination of gestational age, and yields a straight-forward "yes/no" answer instead of a risk-score (e.g. high-risk vs. low-risk).
Mr. Riedel stated that Hunter was very excited about the prospects for this test and is pleased to support Sequenom in its development.
The PLAC® Test is the only FDA approved blood test that aids in uncovering hidden heart attack and stroke risk.
CVD kills more people in the U.S. than do all cancers combined. Stroke alone is twice the killer of American women than is breast cancer.
Early detection and aggressive treatment can reduce cardiovascular events. Still, 50% of cardiovascular events strike in patients with normal lipid levels. The traditional lipid panel identifies at best 50% of those at risk.
Recent studies show the LDL to be an unreliable predictor of stroke. Similar studies report the PLAC Test uses a cardiovascular risk marker that provides new information, over and above traditional risk factors.
The majority of cardiac events are caused by plaque rupture and subsequent thrombosis, not stenosis. The PLAC Test provides physicians with new information that dramatically improves their ability to identify patients at risk.
The PLAC Test measures Lp-PLAC2 (lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2), a vascular-specific inflammatory enzyme implicated in the formation of rupture-prone plaque. The PLAC Test may be ordered separately or with a new Cardiac Risk Panel that adds the PLAC Test to the standard lipid panel.
Related Outside Articles
Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 as an Independent Predictor of Coronary Heart Disease
Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 independently predicts the angiographic diagnosis of coronary artery disease and coronary death
A prospective evaluation of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 levels and the risk of future cardiovascular events in women
Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Activity Is Associated With Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Ischemic Stroke
Test Order Codes
3801 PLAC Test Seperately
3802 New Cardiac Risk Panel
The SurePath FocalPoint imaging system technology improves cervical cancer screening performance and efficiency. SurePath is the only Pap test with an FDA-approved claim of a 64.4% increase in HSIL+ detection. When SurePath pap slides are coupled with the FocalPoint imaging system there's an even greater reduction in false negatives. The system utilizes the simplest and most proficient collection device on the market. SurePath also has the lowest rate for unsatisfactory specimens that require another sample for processing.
"Hunter laboratories is committed to providing our patients with the best new technology to detect disease early and the SurePath FocalPoint system allows us to do just that," said Chris Riedel, CEO of Hunter Labs.
The FocalPoint system helps cytotechnologists reduce false negatives by prioritizing slides based on likelihood of abnormality.
Hunter Laboratories has partnered with Path Logic, one of Northern California's renowned pathology groups, to assist with the new technology.
Path Logic has eleven board certified pathologists in multiple specialties. Among these pathologists is, Dr. Stephen Bauer, who was chosen by the College of American Pathologists as Pathologist of the Year in 1999.
Related Outside Articles
Comparison of the effectiveness of two liquid-based Papanicolaou systems in the handling of adverse limiting factors, such as excessive blood
Direct-to-vial comparison of a new liquid-based cytology system, liqui-PREPTM versus the conventional Pap smear
Comparison of the SurepathTM liquid-based Papanicolaou smear with the conventional Papanicolaou smear in a multisite direct-to-vial study
Test Order Codes
1826 SurePath PAP with HPV
1821 SurePath PAP, reflex HPV on ASC-US & above
1822 SurePath PAP, reflex on ASC-US only
Hunter Laboratories, Inc.'s new Human Papillomavirus (HPV) DNA testing methodology offers advantages over all other laboratories in Northern California.
Hunter's methodology is the Invader® Molecular HPV assay from Third Wave Technologies. Studies in several major medical centers have demonstrated that it reduces the occurrences of false negatives, detects mixed infections with multiple HPV types and increases specificity.
The Invader assay reduces the occurrence of false negatives by monitoring DNA extraction and sample adequacy by inclusion of an internal control. The control evaluates the quantity of cellular DNA content using the human alpha-actin gene.
Mixed infections with multiple HPV types are easily detected by the Invader assay by using a unmatched three probe pools.
Research has conclusively demonstrated that HPV, particularly high-risk types, is implicated in virtually all cervical cancer. As a result, HPV DNA testing is recommended in cervical cancer screening guidelines as an adjunct to cytology screening.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Cancer Society both recommend "high risk" HPV testing in conjunction with a PAP test for all women age 30 or older at least every three years.
Related Outside Articles
Human Papillomavirus in Atypical Squamous Cervical Cytology: The Invader HPV Test as a New Screening Assay
Test Order Codes
4450 HPV High Risk
1826 SurePath PAP with HPV
1821 SurePath PAP, relfex HPV on ASC-US & above
1822 SurePath PAP, reflex on ASC-US only
8130 Thin Prep PAP with HPV
8110 Thin Prep PAP, reflex HPV on ASC-US & above
8120 Thin Prep PAP, reflex on ASC-US only
"Even if the EMR vendor will not communicate with Hunter, we can complete the interface within 30 days," said Chris Riedel, CEO of Hunter Labs.
Over the last several years more and more physician offices have implemented Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems and are going paperless.
Patients benefit from immediate availability of their lab results, which are delivered electronically to the physician office as soon as they are completed.
Once the electronic lab results are received, they are integrated into the patient's electronic medical record, providing a complete view of all past medical history, which will aid in treatment collaboration.
Hunter's EMR interface also provides an easy method for electronic ordering. After selecting a test ordering icon, the physicians most frequently ordered tests pop-up. With a simple click, the test is ordered.
If the physician sends patients to a Hunter Patient Service Center for specimen collection, nothing more need be done.
If the physician collects the specimen in their office, bar codes are immediately printed for the specimens. ICD-9 rules are displayed where required by the payor, and alerts occur if the ICD-9 rule fails for the tests ordered.
"We pride ourselves on the fastest turnaround time in the industry. With EMR interfaces, over 98% of chemistry, immunology, hematology, coagulation and preliminary microbiology lab tests ordered will be available in the patient records before the physician gets to work the next morning," said Mr. Riedel.
Hunter Laboratories, Inc. now offers HerpeSelect®, an FDA approved test that can detect type-specific antibodies to both Herpes Simplex Viruses (HSV) I and II.
The signs and symptoms associated between the two types of HSV vary greatly.
Patient consultation and prognosis of recurrent genital outbreaks, viral shedding, antibody persistence and neonatal transmission between HSV-I and HSV-II diagnosis differ.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend physicians to perform type-specific glycoprotein testing for HSV-I and HSV-II.
According to the CDC at least 45 million people over the age of 12 have had a HSV infection.
The HerpeSelect from Focus is manufactured using recombinant technology and provides unequaled specificity compared to other currently available FDA approved tests.
Related Outside Articles
Development and Use of a Type-Specific Antibody Avidity Test Based on Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Glycoprotein G.
Test Order Codes
7742 HSV I
7743 HSV II
7757 HSV I/II
Axolotl Enables Hunter Laboratories to Participate in California RHIO (Outside Story)