Diagnostics Company Developing Test for Ischemia Stroke Patients Raising $1.2M

Ischemia Care, which has developed a test for ischemia stroke patients, is seeking $1.2 million, according to a regulatory filing. 

The company has developed the ISCDX test by which blood is drawn from patients who have suffered an ischemic stroke to help physicians decide how to treat them to prevent the occurrence of another stroke. Ordered by a physician, the test is specifically targeted at patients who suffer strokes from unknown causes, also known as cryptogenic stroke. Known causes of stroke are associated with the heart and the carotid artery. The test uses gene expression technology to predict cardioembolic and large vessel cause in stroke patients. It is also able to differentiate between cardioembolic and large vessel stroke.

Ischemia Care has already raised $395,500 of the total amount it is seeking. Past investors in the company include Early Stage Partners, Queen City Angels and Richard D'Augustine, a private investor. Earlier this year, the company was seeking to raise  $450,000.

On its website, the Ohio-based company states that there are no other blood tests to determine the cause of stroke. The company has strategic relationships with Medtronic who designed the clinical trial study protocols as well as with Affymetrix, which makes DNA microarrays.

Genomic analysis in diagnostics has been rapidly gaining ground and the topic will be addressed at the IVD Business Strategy Conference in San Diego, Nov. 8. The conference is being hosted by the publisher of MD+DI.

 By Arundhati Parmar, Senior Editor, MD+DI
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