PeriRx announced it will introduce a molecular biomarker test for the early detection of Sjögren's syndrome by the end of 2014.
Sjögren's syndrome is a systemic chronic inflammatory disorder in which the immune system attacks and damages the body's moisture-producing glands. This causes dryness of the eyes and mouth, and is associated with a number of oral and ocular complications.
Diagnosing the syndrome has always been difficult, and symptoms are often attributed to other conditions or causes on first visits to a physician, the company noted. The average time between onset of symptoms and diagnosis is six years.
The PeriRx Sjögren's Syndrome Test is based on National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded research with initial discovery and prevalidation work by David Wong, DMD, DMSc, an associate dean of research and a professor of oral biology at the University of California, Los Angeles School of Dentistry.
"The PeriRx Sjögren's Syndrome Test not only represents a technological breakthrough that enables earlier diagnosis of the disease; it puts the dental professional on the front lines with medical doctors and medical specialists in the collaborative care of the patient," stated PeriRx CEO Stephen Swanick in a press release.
