Adeona Pharmaceuticals Inc announces the initial formation of its sales and marketing team and pre-launch efforts for its CopperProof serum-based copper/zinc diagnostic panel, which will be offered through Adeona’s Hartlab subsidary.

The CopperProof panel is a diagnostic test panel intended to provide a comprehensive look at the metabolic serum copper and zinc status of patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Defects in copper metabolism and high free copper levels are increasingly being recognized as significant factors in the progression of neurodegenerative diseases, including AD and MCI. A clinical zinc deficiency in AD patients has also been recognized for the first time in a recent Adeona-sponsored clinical study.

In preparation for the near term launch of its Copperproof diagnostic panel, Adeona has begun hiring a sales and marketing team for key markets. These initial efforts are intended to target neurologists, psychiatrists, gerontologists, nursing homes and other physicians and institutions that regularly treat patients with AD and MCI. Adeona intends to continue to build a small specialty sales force of individuals each having extensive experience calling upon these specialty practices.

On July 9, 2009 Adeona completed the acquisition of Hartlab LLC a CLIA-certified clinical reference laboratory located in Bolingbrook, Illinois. On July 15, 2009, Adeona presented the results of the CopperProof 1 Study, a prospective observational study comparing serum parameters of copper and zinc status in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and normal subjects, at the 2009 International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) in Vienna, Austria. This study showed a strong correlation between Alzheimer’s disease and impaired serum copper binding as well as elevated free (non-ceruloplasmin bound) serum copper levels in AD patients. The study also reported, for the first time, clinical and subclinical zinc deficiency in AD patients.

Max Lyon, Adeona’s CEO, stated, "This is a milestone for Adeona. It is our intention to continue to grow the sales and marketing team with individuals having substantial experience in the AD and MCI markets. We consider chronic copper toxicity to be a significantly under-recognized and modifiable risk factor for the progression of AD and MCI.

"We have also recently completed the first international epidemiological study finding a correlation between copper plumbing tube use and the rates of prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease by country and believe that such study lends further support to the growing body of evidence that chronic inorganic copper exposure plays an important role in the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Using Adeona’s proprietary, modified oral zinc delivery technologies, Adeona is preparing to initiate the first clinical trial of oral zinc therapy for the once-a-day dietary management of AD and MCI."

Source: Adeona Pharmaceuticals