Vast US market opportunity seen for Proteomics kidney test

ASX-listed Proteomics International Laboratories says independent modelling of the giant US market for its “ground-breaking” PromarkerD predictive test for kidney disease in diabetes sufferers suggests the product could generate savings approaching US$400 billion over 10 years for Medicare and commercial insurers in the country.

Research by independent consultant Boston Healthcare Associates modelling the budget impact of PromarkerD versus existing care standards says US public and private health insurers could save US$384 billion over a decade.

The study said PromarkerD could be used to slow the progression of diabetic kidney disease, or “DKD” and delay or prevent dialysis and kidney transplants. PromarkerD is “the only test capable of predicting the onset of DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes”, according to Proteomics.

Management says some 31 million diabetics in America are at risk of developing DKD. PromarkerD uses a simple blood test to detect the early onset of DKD in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Early and cost-effective prediction could reduce the need for expensive treatment at later stages of the disease such as dialysis and kidney transplants.

The research by Boston Healthcare, a global strategy consulting firm for the healthcare industry, indicated annual testing of the 31 million US patients with diabetes at US$150 per test would cost US$8.9 billion a year. However, reducing the need for later stage treatment of DKD could reap total healthcare savings in the order of US$473B over 10 years.

Testing patients with type 2 diabetes every 6-to-12 months with PromarkerD would enable early intervention for those at high-risk of developing diabetic kidney disease. This would decrease the need for expensive late-stage interventions, such as dialysis and kidney transplants. It would also assist in stratifying which patients would receive new DKD preventative therapeutic treatments. The potential benefits to the patient and the healthcare system are enormous.

The latest findings add to Boston Healthcare’s earlier PromarkerD modelling that estimated net savings for healthcare payors of US$862 million over four years per million patients tested.

In previous clinical trials PromarkerD was reportedly 86 per cent accurate in predicting the number of healthy diabetics who would go on to develop chronic kidney disease within four years.

PromarkerD is available for use in Europe with the company in advanced discussions to enter the US market.

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