Industry News: Measuring heparanase & HS levels in COVID-19 patients

Researchers at Radboud University Medical Center, Netherlands have been utilizing the JM403 Heparan Sulfate Antibody, from AMSBIO, in developing novel assays for measuring heparan sulfate (HS) levels and heparanase activity in COVID-19 patients.

HS is emerging as a key factor in infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Multiple mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of COVID-19 involve HS, such as cellular infection, inflammation, and vascular leakage due to heparanase-mediated degradation of HS in the endothelial glycocalyx.

"The JM403 antibody appeared a unique and powerful tool to develop the new assays to measure plasma heparanase and HS levels in patients with COVID-19. A particular advantage of JM403 is that it is not reacting with heparins, which would have been a disturbing factor in our analyses, and which now allowed us to evaluate the effect of treating COVID-19 patients with low molecular weight heparins (LMWH).", Prof. Dr. Johan van der Vlag, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands. 

To learn more about the effects of heparan sulfate on COVID-19 infections, disease, and therapeutics and about AMSBIO’s ready-to-use Heparanase Activity Assays, visit their website>>

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