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About PlaCor
PlaCor, Inc. is a development stage
company formed in 2003 by four former executives of AVECOR Cardiovascular,
Inc. The company’s first product is an instrument to help physicians
evaluate the effect of aspirin, Plavix®, or other anti-platelet drugs
which they prescribe to their patients to inhibit the clot formation that
can cause heart attacks and strokes. Physicians are aware that up to
50% of patients do not respond at all or are “low” responders to aspirin
and Plavix, putting them at an increased risk for an adverse event.
With at least 48 million people on chronic aspirin or aspirin plus
Plavix therapy to prevent heart attack, strokes and stent thrombosis,
testing to ensure that patients are protected by their antiplatelet
therapy is estimated by PlaCor to be a $1.6 billion dollar market
opportunity in the U.S. alone.
PlaCor’s
instrument, called the PRT™, measures how reactive (or activated) a
person’s platelets are. Reactive platelets are more likely to form a
clot than platelets that are less reactive. The PRT test uses a
finger-prick blood sample and takes only a few minutes. Since the PRT test measures platelet reactivity
and is not drug specific, it can be used for evaluating the effectiveness
of one or a combination of anti-platelet drugs. The company
anticipates receiving approval to sell the PRT in 2008.
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The PlaCor PRT is for research use
only and is not for sale in the U.S.
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