Tsuruoka, Japan, Nov. 22 ‐ Human Metabolome Technologies Inc., a metabolite discovery company, has announced today that the Japanese Patent Office (JPO) has issued Japanese patent number 5372213 titled: “The biomarker of depression, the measuring method for the biomarker of depression, and the program and storage for the diagnostic method” to the company for the discovery of biomarkers for depressive disorders. Ethanolamine
Phosphate (EAP) and the diagnostic method for its detection were discovered by HMT in collaboration with Dr. Noriyuki Kawamura.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a method to diagnose patients with the major depressive disorder by measuring single metabolic compounds, for example, ethanolamine phosphate (EAP), in blood samples. By using this method, the doctor can diagnose major depressive disorder with 82% sensitivity and 95% specificity.
“HMT has been creating a comprehensive patent portfolio for depressive disorders, oncology, and other applications. The issuance of this patent supports our overall intellectual property strategy and we continue to pursue additional patent applications in support of our diagnostic programs”, said Tsutomu Hoshiba, President, HMT America.