Accumetrics looks to the future of platelet function analysis

Interesting challenges attracted him to Accumetrics. One reason I came to Accumetrics is that I had been in diagnostics for many years and had very much enjoyed being able to build smaller companies into more robust commercial organizations. My background includes leadership positions which were very similar in scope. When I looked at the opportunity at Accumetrics I saw this wonderful technology that was in a rapidly growing space that needed some marketing development and some commercial expertise. I thought it was a very good fit.

Platelet function testing now and in the future. Our VerifyNow system is used in interventional cardiology, when patients go in for a stent placement, also known a PCI. Stent patients are put on drugs such as Plavix to prevent dangerous blood clots, and when they come out of their stent procedure, they are tested so the doctor sees whether they are responding adequately. Then there is follow-up testing throughout at least the next 12 to 18 months. That's where our test is used. But it's also being used a bit further downstream out in the physician office lab. We have an aspirin-resistance test that is CLIA-waived and are in the process of working with the FDA to get our VerifyNow P2Y12 test, which is a test used for Plavix, waived as well. So we envision it moving from the operating room and the cath lab all the way out to the physician's office. When I look out into the future, at where I think this market is going, I think there is going to be, so to speak, a soft therapeutic window that physicians are going to try to be managing.

Changes in perception of platelet function analysis. There has been a significant increase in the awareness of the importance of the type of testing we offer for platelet reactivity and what it means for patient safety and health outcomes. One in three patients may not be responding adequately to their medications—to anti-platelet medications such as Plavix and aspirin. Those who don't respond adequately are at a significantly higher risk for having an adverse cardiac event such as heart attack or death. During the past three to four years, the industry has become much more receptive to the importance of this type of testing. It's much more established today. In fact, this type of testing is now in over four international guidelines around the globe. We have seen a great deal of progress in market development and a significant increase in the use of our product. The VerifyNow System is in more than 750 hospitals in the U.S. and in more than 70 countries.

How personalized medicine is expanding the market for Accumetrics. With the personalized medicine type of approach, clinicians can test to see how an individual is responding to their medication. We also see this type of testing now being offered at the point-of-care. It is being offered in the cardiac cath lab, which is certainly one of the biggest trends within diagnostics as well. And the last three to four years have seen the availability of some new anti-platelet medications. Up to last year, Plavix was the number-two selling pharmaceutical product in the world, right behind Lipitor. Until 2009 there wasn't really an available alternative to Plavix. So if patients weren't responding adequately to Plavix, doctors could change the dose, but really had no alternative therapy. Then, Lilly launched a drug. AstraZenica launched a drug. A number of new pharmaceutical products have come to market in the past 24 or 36 months. That's also been a market propellant for us, since it has given physicians a motivation to order the test. Of course, it's also very important that we have qualified lab techs who can run this type of testing.

More new directions to keep an eye on. I think that we are going to see a continual push towards miniaturization. Our system is extremely easy to use, and we are going to push to make it even easier. Right now it involves a venipuncture. If we can get it down to a fingerstick, we certainly will. It is not an easy thing to do because making an incision tends to activate a lot of platelets, but we think we have some creative ways around it. There has also been work done on the genetic side. I think you are going to see the evolution of genetics as well as phenotype testing build, but clearly we feel testing a phenotype is where the future is at. That's because when we are talking about phenotype we are talking about not only genetics but the other medications patients are on, and how they are responding to the therapy.

Retaining an engaged workforce. We've got about 95 people in the company, and all of them are shareholders of our company stock. So most of them are very engaged. We also reach out to the local community; for example, we do an annual heart walk with the AHA here in San Diego. We have some Heart Month initiatives in February. Since we are involved in diagnostic testing for cardiovascular disease, there are many opportunities to live our mission.