Biohit Oyj launches new Biohit Active B12 test to diagnosis of B12 vitamin deficiency

Biohit Oyj Press Release May 23, 2014 at 3:45 pm local time (EEST)

Biohit Oyj launches a diagnostic quick test, which allows the diagnosis of B12 vitamin deficiency from venous blood sample. Vitamin B12 deficiency can occur in seemingly healthy people, and the risk increases with age. The test does not measure the level of total B12, but it measures the available active form of vitamin B12, holotranscobalamin, level in the blood. The new test is CE-IVD registered and at the time of market entry available in European countries.

In addition to malnutrition and celiac disease, deficiency of B12 vitamin (holotranscobalamin) in human tissues can be due to injury of stomach corpus mucosa and its function (atrophic gastritis).  Atrophic gastritis caused by Helicobacter pylori infection or autoimmune mechanism remains often undetected although it is the most important risk factor of gastric cancer, and also associated with significant risk of B12-vitamin deficiency and malabsorption of certain trace elements.

Atrophic gastritis and its severe sequels , such as risk of B12-vitamin deficiency, gastric and esophageal cancer, can remain undetected if dyspeptic patients and Helicobacter pylori infections are examined only by the 13C urea breath test. The deficiency of B12-vitamin leads to pernicious anemia. Other symptoms due to B12 deficiency include muscular weakness, low blood pressure, fatigue, depression and memory disturbances. Long-term B12-vitamine deficiency can lead to irreversible injuries, such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.  (Read more: Appendix.) 

CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj: ´From a blood sample, Biohit Active B12 test can determine the level of the active B12 available for the body. This is to avoid false-negative and false-positive results, which are associated with the traditional tests measuring the total vitamin B12 content.´

Chief Medical Director, Kari Syrjänen, Biohit Oyj: ´This is a major public health issue. Up to 20% of retired population suffer from deficiency of vitamin B12 active form, holotranscobalamin. If vitamin B12 deficiency is diagnosed early enough, it can be corrected, thus preventing the aging population to develop memory loss, depression, and dementia among other issues. ‘

Additional information:
CEO Semi Korpela, Biohit Oyj
tel. +358 9 773 861
investor.relations@biohit.fi
www.biohithealthcare.com

Appendix: Metabolism of Vitamin B12 and Consequences of Its Distortions and The state-of-the-art, safe and economic GastroPanel examination

Biohit in brief

Biohit Oyj is a globally operating Finnish biotechnology company. Biohit’s mission is “Innovating for Health” – we produce innovative products and services to promote research and early diagnosis. Biohit is headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, and has subsidiaries in Italy and the UK. Biohit's Series B share (BIOBV) is quoted on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki in the Small cap/Healthcare group. www.biohithealthcare.com