The present invention provides for methods for identifying modulators of extracellular matrix (ECM) movement towards a site requiring deposition of ECM. Such modulators can be applied for use in a method for the modulation of ECM movement towards a site requiring deposition of ECM, e.g. a wound, thereby allowing treatment of a condition involving ECM deposition. Since the modulator may either be an inhibitor or promoter, either excessive or insufficient ECM deposition could be dealt with by the means and methods of the present invention.

The present invention provides an immunological binding partner reactive with a C-terminal epitope of the C5 domain of the α3 chain of collagen Type 6, and a method of immunoassay using the immunological binding partner for detecting and quantifying the C-terminal epitope. The invention also provides a method of investigating the rate of formation of extracellular matrix and a method for identifying a subject suitable for treatment with an insulin sensitizer.

The present invention relates to a method for diagnosing a recent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. The method is based on the determination of the at least one marker selected from the group consisting of a cardiac Troponin, NT-proBNP (N-terminal prohormone of brain natriuretic peptide), hsCRP, IL-6 (Interleukin-6) and IGFBP7 (Insulin like growth factor binding protein 7) in a sample from the subject, and on the comparison of the, thus, determined amount(s) with a reference amount (reference amounts). Further, the present invention relates to a method for identifying a subject being treatable with anticoagulation therapy. Further envisaged are systems, reagents and kits used in performing the methods disclosed herein.

A diagnostic reagent or device comprises at least one ligand capable of specifically complexing with, binding to, or quantitatively detecting or identifying the biomarker chloride intracellular channel protein 4 (CLIC4) or an isoform, pro-form, modified molecular form including posttranslational modification, or unique peptide fragment or nucleic acid fragment thereof. An alternative diagnostic reagent or device comprises ligand or ligands capable of specifically complexing with, binding to, or quantitatively detecting or identifying multiple tropomyosin biomarkers. Optionally, such reagent or device includes a signaling molecule and/or a substrate on which the ligand is immobilized. Other reagents and methods of diagnosing ovarian cancer include use of CLIC4 ligands and/or multiple tropomyosin ligands with an additional ovarian cancer biomarker. For example, CLIC4 combined with one or more of CLIC1 and/or one or multiple members of the tropomyosin family, e.g., TPM1, TPM2, TPM3 or TPM4, and further optionally including CTSD-30 kDa and/or PRDX-6, among other ovarian cancer biomarkers can form a characteristic diagnostic pattern or profile of expression that is diagnostic of the disease. Still other embodiments are described.

The present invention provides a cell culture having a cartilage-like tissue forming property, including a cell population in which the expression intensity of at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of CD166, CD165, CD99, GD2, STRO-1, CD108, CD164, CD6, CD106, and CD107b is not higher than the threshold for each cell surface marker, and/or, the expression intensity of at least one cell surface marker selected from the group consisting of CD26, CD73, CD105, CD44, CD120a, CD201, EGFR, CD146, CD140a, and CD90 is not lower than the threshold for each cell surface marker.

An immune checkpoint inhibitor containing a substance that inhibits binding between fibronectin and an immunosuppressive receptor LILRB4 as an active ingredient, a therapeutic agent for an immune checkpoint-related disease, an immunosuppressant containing a substance that activates an immunosuppressive receptor LILRB4 as an active ingredient, an anti-fibronectin antibody or a derivative thereof, a fibronectin analog, a kit for detecting fibronectin or a partial protein thereof, and a method for detecting fibronectin or a partial protein thereof in a biological sample using the kit.

Implant related risk of revision not caused by an infection or metal on metal reaction can be addressed by the methods provided herein, including diagnosing implant related risk of revision, use of kits for such diagnostic purposes and compositions for use in the treatment of implant related risk of revision, in particular implant related risk of revision not caused by an infection or metal on metal reaction.

A method for monitoring a treatment of a subject having a musculoskeletal disorder is provided. The method includes measuring a first expression level of at least two biomarkers at a treatment site prior to the treatment and measuring a second expression level of the at least two biomarkers at the treatment site after the treatment begins. The method further includes comparing the first expression level of the at least two biomarkers prior to the treatment to the second expression level of the at least two biomarkers post treatment and continuing the treatment, altering the treatment or stopping the treatment based on the comparison. A method of treating a musculoskeletal disorder in a subject is also provided. The method includes removing a aggrecan-hyaluronan matrix from a treatment site in the subject.

A system for time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay detection is disclosed. The system comprises a receptacle with a sample volume adapted for receiving a sample therein; a light source adapted to emit pulsed excitation light illumination optics adapted to collect the pulsed excitation light from the light source and to deliver the pulsed excitation light to the sample volume in the receptacle; a detection device adapted for gated detection of fluorescence radiation at least in a detection spectral range; detection optics adapted to collect fluorescence radiation from the receptacle at least in the detection spectral range and deliver the fluorescence radiation to the detection device; and an optical filter device configured for the separation of excitation light and detection light. A method for time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay detection is also provided.

The present invention relates to biomarkers associated with the clinical response to an FGF-18 compound before or during treatment of a cartilage disorder. It relates more particularly to specific proteins present in the blood, serum, synovial fluid or in the urine, which can be used as biomarkers for the diagnosis, pre-treatment of patients and during therapy of cartilage disorders. The invention can be used in predicting the response to an FGF-18 compound treatment, before starting the treatment or during the treatment. It could be used for selecting/identifying subjects to be treated according to specific doses and/or dosing regimens by intra-articular administration of an FGF-18 compound. The use of these biomarkers in diagnostics could result in increased benefit and reduced risk-benefit ratio in subjects.