ALPCO Launches GLP-1 (Active 7-36) and (7-36 and 9-36) ELISA kits

Salem, NH, September 23, 2009 --(PR.com)-- ALPCO is pleased to introduce a pair of ELISA kits for research use only for the easy and accurate measurement of both active (7-36) GLP-1 and combined (7-36 and 9-36) GLP-1 fragments.

GLP-1, an incretin hormone, has been a focus of the diabetes & obesity research community recently. The first incretin therapy was approved by the FDA in 2006, and early clinical data demonstrates that these therapies are delivering good results for some patients with Type II diabetes. As more incretin-based drugs are identified and proceed through the clinical development process, the area of research that focuses on elucidating the physiological impact of incretin hormones has taken on greater significance. Craig LaMarca, a scientist and technical sales advisor at ALPCO, points out: “Basic science researchers are establishing mechanisms and principles for why GLP-1 is an attractive therapeutic target. Along these same lines, but further down in the process are pharmaceutical companies who are trying to establish the functionality of potential drug candidates in their ability to increase circulating levels of GLP-1… Although most of the work currently is focusing on diabetes, recent research has implied utility of targeting GLP-1 in other therapeutic areas .” For example, studies have shown that GLP-1 agonists and/or DPP-IV inhibitors offer beta cell protection in rodents (1) – an indication that the same may be accomplished in humans, offering the hope of altering the progression of Type II diabetes. On the other hand, studies have also proposed that there is a cardioprotective and vasodilatory role for the 9-36 fragment, a peptide once thought to be relatively biologically inactive(2).

These efforts are currently hampered by a lack of good tools, as we are reminded by Mr. LaMarca: “With all of the drug development and basic research efforts ongoing, there is no accessible commercial method for quantification of circulating GLP-1, either in its active or total form. Researchers have been forced to use assays that have several systemic issues including: lack of reproducibility, inability to detect significant physiological shifts of GLP-1 resulting from meal tolerance or therapeutic intervention and lack of sensitivity. Since fasting levels are so low, researchers are often unable to establish a baseline.”

Marking a turning point in GLP-1 ELISA technology, the ALPCO/Epitope ELISA answers the need for a reproducible, highly sensitive assay to measure Active (7-36) GLP-1. This offering is enhanced by a corresponding method for detecting combined (7-36 and 9-36) fragments. The Active (7-36) assay is sensitive to 0.2 pmol/l, allowing researchers to discern low baseline values. Additionally, both kits demonstrate a marked stimulation index for fed versus fasted samples, a capability that has been lacking for commercial kits previously available to researchers.

1) Suarez-Pinon W, et al. 2008. Diabetes; 57 (12): 3281-3288.
2) Ban K, et al. 2008. Circulation; 117: 2340-2350

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