Stockholms läns landsting has as the first health care district in Sweden decided to
introduce DiBiCol on the list of reimbursed diagnostic tests.
Approximately 15 000 out of a 1.5 million population in the Stockholm area suffer from
some kind of inflammatory disease in the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of
ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease continue to increase and the development among
children is especially worrying. This approval facilitates a faster and safer diagnosis for
healthcare professionals.
The development of DiBiCol has been carried out by the Swedish research company
InDex Pharmaceuticals AB at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm. The test is based on the
latest molecular biological research techniques and is offered to the medical community
in collaboration with Aleris Medilab.
- Starting six years ago, we have identified and tested a large number of different biomarkers that react differently in different diseases. In the DiBiCol test the change in expression is analyzed for seven carefully selected biomarkers. Three clinical studies including more than 300 patients have shown that the level of accuracy for the right diagnosis is over 90%, says Svante Rasmuson, CEO of InDex Pharmaceuticals.
- Its very rewarding to be able to offer an improved diagnosis for patients with inflammatory bowel diseases. Correct diagnosis and improved treatment reduces the suffering for the patients but also reduces the cost for the society, says Bo Wihlborg, Business area manager at Aleris Medilab.
Within inflammatory bowel disease up to 30% are difficult to diagnose and in some cases
it can take several years to make a firm diagnosis. With the DiBiCol test the uncertainty
and prolonged suffering for the patient can be avoided.
About Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases in the
intestinal system that often affects younger people. There are some 3 million IBD
patients in Europe and the US. In Sweden, the corresponding number is approximately
80,000, whereof 10% have an unclassified inflammatory disease. The two most common
types of IBD are:
- Crohn’s disease, an inflammatory disease in the digestive system that can be located anywhere from mouth to rectum.
- Ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory disease located in the large intestine.
About InDex Pharmaceuticals’ diagnostic technology
The InDex technology platform in diagnostics focuses on multi-gene analysis, which
enables healthcare professionals to improve gastrointestinal disease classification. In
addition to DiBiCol, InDex also develops DiaFeCol, a feces based test for classification
of IBD, as well as biomarkers that make it possible to individualize treatment with the
company’s DNA-based pharmaceuticals, so called “personalized medicine”.
Company facts:
About InDex Pharmaceuticals AB
InDex Pharmaceuticals AB is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on development
and commercialization of new, improved immune therapies. It discovers and develops
DIMS drugs (DNA-based pharmaceuticals that modulate the immune system) for the
treatment within several different therapeutic areas, including inflammation and cancer.
The company has a number of proprietary DIMS compounds in different development
stages, whereof Kappaproct is developed for the treatment of steroid resistant/
dependent ulcerative colitis. InDex was founded in year 2000 as a spin-out from
Karolinska Institutet and is based in Stockholm. It is a privately owned company with
approximately 100 shareholders, including SEB Venture Capital and Life Equity Sweden.
About Aleris Medilab
Aleris Medilab is a laboratory medical center for the Swedish health care sector and offers
an effective service within clinical chemistry, microbiology and pathology/cytology.
All laboratory activities are quality accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025 (Swedac) and
encompasses also environmental certificate according to SS-EN 14001:2004. Aleris
Medilab is a business area within Aleris Diagnostics AB which also includes Aleris
FysilogiLab and Aleris Röntgen. Aleris Diagnostic AB is part of Aleris, one of the leading
private health care providers in Scandinavia.
For more information please contact:
InDex Pharmaceuticals AB:
Hans Göth, Marketing Manager, mobile 070-536 67 66
[email protected]
Svante Rasmuson, CEO, telephone 08-508 847 31
[email protected]
Aleris Medilab:
Bo Wihlborg, Business Area Manager, 08-792 93 01
[email protected]
