Brian Ward, the President and CEO of diaDexus, Inc. (DDXS), Interviews with The Wall Street Transcript
67 WALL STREET, New York - August 2, 2013 - The Wall Street Transcript has just published its Medical Devices Report offering a timely review of the sector to serious investors and industry executives. This special feature contains expert industry commentary through in-depth interviews with public company CEOs and Equity Analysts. The full issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online.
Topics covered: Orthopedics and Cardiovascular Medical Devices - Medical Device Innovation and Consolidation Trends - Cardiac - Health Care - Affordable Care Act - Continued Pricing Pressure - Aging U.S. Population
Companies include: diaDexus, Inc. (DDXS) and many more.
In the following excerpt from the Medical Devices Report, the President and CEO of diaDexus, Inc. (DDXS) discusses company strategy and the outlook for this vital industry:
TWST: Your PLAC Test measures Lp-PLA2, the vascular-specific inflammatory enzyme blamed for the formation of rupture-prone plaque. Would you comment on this test and its relationship to the GlaxoSmithKline inhibitor study and where it's at? Where does it fit in in relation to the ongoing Phase III clinical trials?
Dr. Ward: Yes, you're correct. The PLAC Test does measure Lp-PLA2, which is associated with instability and rupture-prone plaque. So the higher the Lp-PLA2, the higher the risk of having a ruptured plaque, which would throw off a clot, a thrombosis, and which could lead to heart attack or stroke.
GSK has two Phase III clinical drug trials in progress right now with a drug called darapladib. Darapladib is a specific inhibitor of Lp-PLA2. So it really knocks Lp-PLA2 out, and the thought here is that if you knock out this molecule, you could take a rupture-prone plaque and stabilize it, and maybe even make it regress to a more stable form. We have measured Lp-PLA2 on every patient in these Phase III clinical trials, and if the drug is successful and if a companion diagnostic is required, we have the rights to distribute that companion diagnostic worldwide.
TWST: What is the market size for the PLAC Test, and what is its competition?
Dr. Ward: The market size in the United States alone is that 80 million people have moderate to increased risk of cardiovascular disease in the United States, so that's a huge market. Of that, about 36 million of those 80 million are actually in the health care system with Medicare coverage and/or private insurance companies. So that's our addressable market.
As far as competition goes, there's no direct competition for the Lp-PLA2 PLAC Test. It is run in association with other advanced lipid profiles, and each one of those markers contributes to understanding the underlying risk of cardiovascular disease. I'd like to point out, though, that the Lp-PLA2 is ...
For more of this interview and many others visit the Wall Street Transcript - a unique service for investors and industry researchers - providing fresh commentary and insight through verbatim interviews with CEOs, portfolio managers and research analysts. This special issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online.
