Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, with an estimated 19.41 million deaths and more than 612 million people living with these conditions. Within this group, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the most common form of CVD globally.
Early detection is essential, yet current diagnostic approaches often identify advanced disease only after structural damage has occurred. Patients with dyslipidemia, one of the major risk factors for ASCVD, frequently remain undiagnosed or insufficiently stratified, limiting opportunities for timely intervention. Accelerating the identification of individuals at high risk is therefore critical to improving prevention strategies and reducing long‑term disease burden.
In this context, researchers from Universidad de Cádiz in Spain have a proteomic biomarker panel designed to distinguish individuals with severe atherosclerosis from those with dyslipidemia or normal lipid profiles.
By analyzing differential protein expression in serum samples, the panel captures subtle molecular alterations associated with advanced atherosclerotic processes. This enables earlier and more precise identification of patients who may already be progressing toward clinically significant ASCVD, even before symptoms or imaging findings appear.
The biomarker panel has been validated in clinical studies comparing serum from patients with severe atherosclerosis, dyslipidemia, and healthy controls. Results demonstrate clear discriminatory capacity and stable performance across samples.
The technology offers several benefits:
- It enables earlier identification of individuals progressing toward advanced atherosclerosis.
- It improves patient stratification beyond standard lipid measurements.
- It reduces dependence on costly imaging techniques for early-stage assessment.
The represented institution is looking for a collaboration that leads to commercial exploitation of the presented invention.
Institution: Universidad de Cádiz (UCA)
TRL: 4-5
Protection Status: The priority patent application (P202430425) for this technology was filed on 27/05/2024, and the international extension (PCT/ES2025/070301) on 26/05/2025
Contacto: Elisa Sáenz | e.saenz@viromii.com