Helsinki, Finland, 2012-07-20 15:45 CEST (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Biohit Oyj Stock
Exchange and Press Release 20.7.2012 16:45
The period in which objections must be filed concerning the European patent
granted to Acetium, developed by Biohit Oyj, has expired, with no notices
filed. This means that Acetium has been granted extensive patent protection in
Europe. Patents are also pending outside Europe. The L-cysteine in Acetium
capsules dissolves slowly into the gastric fluid, efficiently binding
(neutralising) carcinogenic acetaldehyde in an achlorhydric stomach. This
contributes to the prevention of stomach and oesophageal cancer. Such cancers
are typically diagnosed late, which results in a particularly poor prognosis
(see Additional information).
The science behind the Acetium innovation is strong and there is a great need
for this product. Identifying the specific carcinogenic substance is crucial
to preventing a particular cancer. Insufficient ability to remove acetaldehyde
caused by point mutation provides a human model for acetaldehyde exposure,
helping to explain the high incidence rates of upper gastrointestinal tract
cancers in alcohol drinkers. The consistent epidemiological and biochemical
results obtained from this model prompted the World Health Organization's
International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in October 2009 to classify
the acetaldehyde found in, and generated endogenously from, alcoholic beverages
as a Group I carcinogen, i.e. as carcinogenic as asbestos, formaldehyde and
benzene. One principle applies to all Group I carcinogens: every available
means should be used to reduce exposure to these substances. Exposure to
acetaldehyde is linked to more than three million new gastrointestinal cancers
per year globally, which represents approximately 25 per cent of all cancers
(visit www.acetium.com to test your exposure to acetaldehyde).
The Acetium capsule is the only product in the world proven to reduce exposure
to acetaldehyde. Acetium is intended e.g. for persons suffering from an
achlorhydric stomach caused by atrophy of the gastric mucosa and functional
disorder (atrophic gastritis). An anacidic stomach is the most significant
risk factor in stomach and oesophageal cancer. The risk group includes
approximately 500 million people globally. An achlorhydric stomach caused by
atrophic gastritis can be easily diagnosed from blood samples, using the
GastroPanel biomarker test developed by Biohit Oyj.
The Acetium and GastroPanel innovations provide new opportunities for safe and
cost-effective health care, as well as opportunities to tap into large and
growing markets in cooperation with other Finnish and international companies
and researchers (see Additional information and www.biohithealthcare.com:
”State-of-the-art GastroPanel and Acetium innovations for the unmet need” and
”GastroPanel biomarkers in SJG 2012”, www.hsinitiative.org).
The unique GastroPanel-Acetium pairing is a prime example of the successful
combination of academic research and a Finnish company seeking entry into
international markets. Robust, fundamental and applied research on major
healthcare issues, and the numerous innovations and product development based
upon it, offer a credible, firm foundation for the company's global success
(www.biohithealthcare.com/ About Us/ History: Aggressive innovation and
patenting strategy).
Contact information:
Semi Korpela, M. Sc. (Econ.), CEO
Biohit Oyj, tel: +358 9 773 861, semi.korpela@biohit.fi
Osmo Suovaniemi, MD, Professor, Chairman of the Board Biohit
Additional information
Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract are a major cause of high healthcare
costs globally, and the costs are growing uncontrollably. Due to late
diagnosis, the treatment practices of many cancers - particularly cancers of
the gastrointestinal tract - are inadequate. Many patients either do not
receive safe, effective treatment or are dissatisfied with the treatment they
get. The ageing of the population is leading to an increase in gastrointestinal
cancers as well as vitamin B12 and calcium deficiency resulting from an
achlorhydric stomach. In addition, more diseases are caused by these
deficiencies. This puts a rapidly growing burden on well-being and national
health and reduces people's ability to remain in longer-term employment.
In Finland, approximately 940 people are diagnosed with oesophageal and stomach
cancer every year, and 730 people die from these diseases. At an early and
curable stage, these cancers are often asymptomatic or involve minor symptoms,
which is why they are too frequently treated for excessively long periods with
various self-remedies, such as extensively marketed medications that reduce
gastric acid secretion or various dietary supplements.
The GastroPanel test detects both Helicobacter pylori infection and atrophy of
the gastric mucosa, and, functional disorder (atrophic gastritis) caused by an
autoimmune disease, which in turn cause an achlorhydric stomach. Microbes from
the mouth can colonise an achlorhydric stomach and use sugar and alcohol to
produce carcinogenic acetaldehyde, which is one of the major risk factors of
gastric and oesophageal cancer.
The 13C urea breath test, stool antigen tests and antibody tests extensively
used to diagnose various abdominal complaints (dyspepsia) do not detect
atrophic gastritis (achlorhydric stomach), which is the major risk factor for
gastric and oesophageal cancer.
Based on the results of the Finnish Setti study, it has been estimated that the
treatment and prognosis of stomach cancer among patients aged over 45 could be
significantly improved in Finland by using the GastroPanel test as the primary
examination for patients with abdominal complaints, and for screening and
regular checkups for anyone aged over 45. This would allow the referral of
at-risk patients for gastroscopy examinations in time to enable cancers to be
detected at an early stage. Regular checkups offer a wealth of reliable and
valuable information that may be relevant for the patient's future health and
quality of life.
If the patient has developed severe atrophic gastritis, the condition is
typically permanent, and the patient will require follow-up tests due to the
risk of cancer. These patients can reduce their risk of developing gastric and
oesophageal cancer by taking Acetium capsules.
Measures to reduce the risk of gastric and oesophageal cancer include the
GastroPanel test and the use of Acetium capsules which, when taken in
connection with food and alcohol intake, effectively bind (neutralise)
carcinogenic acetaldehyde in the stomach.
Acetium capsules, which are available in pharmacies without prescription, are
recommended to those with
1. an achlorhydric or low-acid stomach caused by atrophic gastritis resulting
from Helicobacter pylori infection or an autoimmune disease, which can be
diagnosed with GastroPanel (500 million worldwide),
2. an untreated chronic Helicobacter pylori infection, which can be reliably
diagnosed with GastroPanel (more than 500 million people worldwide),
3. the long-term need to use medications that reduce gastric acid (HCl)
secretion (PPI medication and H2 blockers); approximately 5-10% of Western
population use these occasionally or regularly, and possibly more than 500,000
people in Finland,
4. people who have undergone stomach surgery (over a million people worldwide),
5. people with gene mutation affecting acetaldehyde metabolism: 30-50% of
Asians show ALDH2 deficiency, and depending on age, 2 - 12% suffer from
achlorhydric stomachs (www.biohithealthcare.com: Paragraph: Appearance of
carcinogens in an achlorhydric stomach in “GastroPanel biomarkers in SJG
2012”).
It will take years before any conclusive data on the effectiveness of the
Acetium capsule in the prevention of gastric and oesophageal cancer is
available. Population studies on at-risk groups must be conducted, in which
every means available will be used to reduce exposure to acetaldehyde. Since
acetaldehyde is classified a group I carcinogen, randomised intervention
studies are not an option for ethical reasons.
Although data on the effectiveness of Acetium in the prevention of gastric and
oesophageal cancer is not yet available, there is conclusive scientific
evidence to suggest that acetaldehyde, a group I carcinogen, causes cancer, and
that acetaldehyde is generated in an achlorhydric stomach, which is a known
risk factor for gastric and oesophageal cancer. Exposure to acetaldehyde is
linked to more than three million new gastrointestinal cancers per year
globally, which represents approximately 25 per cent of all cancers (visit
www.acetium.com to test your exposure to acetaldehyde).
International research groups recommend blood sample biomarker tests for the
diagnosis and screening of gastric diseases (www.biohithealthcare.com/
Investors/Stock Exchange Releases/ 08/06/2012).
Unlike the Helicobacter pylori examinations still used (13C urea breath test
and stool antigen test) to diagnose dyspepsia (various upper abdominal
complaints) and Helicobacter infection, the GastroPanel biomarker test reliably
detects H. pylori infection and reveals atrophic gastritis and associated
cancer and other risks.
As much as 20-40% of the Western population suffers from dyspepsia, which,
according to conventional medical practice, requires gastroscopy. There are no
resources available, nor is there any need for such examinations or high-risk
experimental medications. The GastroPanel biomarker test allows only ill and
at-risk patients to be referred for gastroscopy and treatment. This increases
patient safety, and saves 40-70% of scarce and expensive endoscopy capacity to
be used for colonoscopies to prevent colorectal cancer (www.hsinitiative.org).
Particularly with elderly people, problems in the colon are often the cause of
dyspepsia complaints. It is therefore advisable to supplement GastroPanel with
a ColonView test to select at-risk patients for colonoscopy
(www.biohithealthcare.com: Diagnostics / Product brochures).
The April 2012 Maastricht IV consensus report of the European Helicobacter
Pylori Study Group recommends blood sample biomarker tests as a reliable method
of diagnosis of diseases of the stomach mucosa and associated risk conditions.
Researchers recommend biomarker tests for the diagnosis and follow-up of
Helicobacter pylori infection and especially for atrophic gastritis that causes
achlorhydric stomachs, in addition to recommending the screening of
asymptomatic patients.
The international Healthy Stomach Initiative group's 16 gastroenterology
experts from 12 countries (www.hsinitiative.org) came to the same conclusions.
Biomarker tests can be used to diagnose and screen atrophic gastritis and
related risks in both asymptomatic patients and patients with abdominal
discomfort (www.biohithealthcare.com: Investors/ Stock Exchange Releases:
17/02/2012 Biohit Oyj's GastroPanel biomarker test recommended).
The state-of-the-art, highly informative, safe and cost-effective GastroPanel
biomarker test for diagnosing dyspepsia (various upper abdominal complaints)
and Helicobacter pylori infection does not involve any of the problems
described below
•The 13C urea breath test (UBT), stool antigen test and antibody tests alone do
not detect atrophic gastritis of the corpus caused by H. pylori infection or
autoimmune disease, or atrophic gastritis of the antrum caused by H. pylori
infection. Atrophic gastritis is almost always asymptomatic and usually
incurable.
• Undiagnosed atrophic gastritis of the corpus (achlorhydric stomach) may cause
gastric and oesophageal cancer and malabsorption of vitamin B12, iron,
magnesium, calcium and certain drugs.
• Calcium deficiency causes osteoporosis. Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause
pernicious anaemia, dementia, depression and damage to the peripheral nervous
system.
• The absorption of several drugs such as dipyridamole, some iron products and
antifungals (fluconazole, itraconazole), thyroxine and atazanavir is
considerably impaired in an achlorhydric stomach. Particularly in senior
citizens, the risk of severe intestinal infections (such as giardiasis,
malaria, Clostridium difficile and E. coli EHEC) increases.
• Atrophic gastritis in the gastric antrum increases the risk of peptic ulcer
disease and gastric cancer. If both the antrum and corpus mucosa are atrophic,
this condition poses the highest risk for gastric cancer known to date. In some
cases, gastric cancer is directly caused by H. pylori and gastritis. Less than
1% of the population has hereditary gastric cancer.
• Furthermore, none of the aforementioned three H. pylori tests provide any
information on excessive gastric acid secretion, which in patients with
gastro-oesophageal reflux disease may cause complications from this disease.
Such complications are often asymptomatic and include ulcerative oesophagitis
and Barrett's oesophagus, which may lead to oesophageal cancer if left
untreated. If complications of the gastroesophageal reflux disease are
suspected due to excessive acid secretion, or if the patient has atrophic
gastritis or symptomatic Helicobacter pylori infection, gastroscopy is required
to rule out cancer and other risks.
• In addition, the 13C urea breath test and stool antigen test may give up to
40% false negative results: in other words, the infection including cancer and
other risks may be left undiagnosed if the patient has atrophic gastritis, MALT
lymphoma or bleeding peptic ulcer disease, or if the patient is currently
receiving antibiotics or PPI treatment.
In order to prevent medical malpractice, unnecessary costs and even unnecessary
deaths caused by cancer, the current Helicobacter pylori tests should be
replaced by the GastroPanel biomarker examination. With the GastroPanel tests
readily available, treating patients suffering from stomach discomfort without
further diagnosis can no longer be justified. Risky self-treatment of stomach
discomforts may delay the diagnosis of, for example, precancerous gastric
lesions until the disease has progressed beyond treatment. Approximately
one-third of the population in Finland suffer from stomach discomfort. Tens of
thousands of patients from this group receive proton pump inhibitor (PPI)
treatment or take prescription-free PPI medication, regardless of the fact that
they already have an achlorhydric stomach caused by atrophic gastritis and the
associated risks of cancer and other diseases.
Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) medications, both prescribed and those available
without prescription, come with the following warning: ”If the patient has
alarming symptoms (e.g. significant unintentional weight loss, persistent
continuous vomiting, difficulty swallowing, blood in vomit or in stool) and a
suspected or diagnosed peptic ulcer, any malignant conditions must be ruled out
because PPI treatment can alleviate the symptoms and delay diagnosis.” This
warning is justified but insufficient to lower the extremely high mortality
rate in patients with stomach and oesophageal cancer. When “alarming symptoms”
have appeared, the cancer has usually advanced to a non-curable stage. Despite
this warning and without ruling out atrophic gastritis (achlorhydric stomach),
stomach discomfort is very often treated with PPI and other medications that
reduce gastric acid (HCl). Furthermore, atrophic gastritis and the associated
cancer risk caused by both a Helicobacter pylori infection and an autoimmune
disease typically cause few or no symptoms.
Osteoporosis and vitamin B12 deficiency represent a major public health problem
among the elderly, and may typically be caused by asymptomatic undiagnosed
atrophic gastritis. A person with an autoimmune atrophic gastritis of the
corpus may simultaneously suffer from an another autoimmune disease, such as
thyroid disease, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis and type 1 diabetes; or
vice versa, a person with an autoimmune thyroid disease and type 1 diabetes
often suffers from autoimmune asymptomatic atrophic gastritis and the resulting
risk of gastric and oesophageal cancer as well as vitamin B12 deficiency.
GastroPanel helps to detect at-risk patients in time and refer them to
gastroscopy and treatment.
Literature on GastroPanel
1.Malfertheiner et al. Management of Helicobacter pylori infection. The
Maastricht IV/ Florence Consensus Report. gut-bmj.com on May 18, 2012. European
Helicobacter Pylori Study Group, ESPSG
2.Agreus et al. Rationale in diagnosis and screening of atrophic gastritis with
stomach-specific plasma biomarkers, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology
2012; 47: 136 - 147)
3.WHO. http://www.iarc.fr/en/media-centre/pr/2009/pdfs/pr196_E.pdf 2011
Literature on Acetium and acetaldehyde
1. Salaspuro V, Hietala J, Kaihovaara P, Pihlajarinne H, Marvola M, Salaspuro
M. Removal of acetaldehyde from saliva by a slow-release buccal tablet of
L-cysteine. Int J Cancer 2002; 97:361-4.
3. Salaspuro VJ, Hietala JM, Marvola ML, Salaspuro MP. Eliminating carcinogenic
acetaldehyde by cysteine from saliva during smoking. Cancer Epid Biomark Prev
2006; 15:146-9.
4. Kartal A, Hietala J, Laakso I, Kaihovaara P, Salaspuro V, Sakkinen M, et al.
Formulation and in vivo evaluation of L-cysteine chewing gums for binding
carcinogenic acetaldehyde in the saliva during smoking. J Pharm Pharmacol.
2007;59:1353-8.
5. Linderborg K, Marvola T, Marvola M, Salaspuro M, Färkkilä M, Väkeväinen S.
Reducing carcinogenic acetaldehyde exposure in the achlorhydric stomach with
cysteine. Alcoholicm Clin Exp Res, 2011;35:1-7.
Information on Biohit Oyj - Biohit HealthCare - Innovating for Health
Biohit Oyj is a Finnish biotechnology company established in 1988. The company
operates in the global market. On 14 December 2011 Biohit sold its liquid
handling business in order to focus on its highly promising health care
business. The purpose of the company is to take social responsibility and
produce innovation, new technologies and analysis systems for use in medicine,
research institutions and industry, helping to promote research and diagnostics
and improve the quality of life of people by means of the prevention of
disease, human suffering and financial loss. Our duty is also to innovate and
develop the marketing and availability of our products and services.
Biohit works with scientific communities to produce new technologies, products
and services based on research results and innovations that can be used to
develop safe and cost-effective diagnostic tests for the early detection and
prevention of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.
(www.biohithealthcare.com: ”State of the art GastroPanel and Acetium
innovations for the unmet need”, www.biohit.fi / ”GastroPanel biomarkers:
Rationale in diagnosis and screening of atrophic gastritis with
stomach-specific plasma biomarkers”, Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology.
2012; 47: 136 - 147, www.biohithealthcare.com: Diagnostics/Product Brochures
and www.biohithealthcare.com: About us/ History: Aggressive innovation and
patenting strategy).
Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki and its subsidiary is located in the UK.
Since 1999, Biohit's Series B share has been quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki in
the Small cap/Healthcare group, and is traded under the code BIOBV
(www.biohithealthcare.com/investors).