PRODUCTS & SERVICES
HepQuant-STAT™, HepQuant-SHUNT™ and HepQuant-FLOW™ are liver function tests based on blood sampling, requiring 60-90 minutes of the patient's time. Supplies for testing are packaged as HepQuant Test Kits.
We are unaware of similar blood test products on the market. Our proprietary process includes the administration of cholates, blood sampling at specific times points, and analysis of serum samples by Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LCMS). The tests may be used in quantifying the portal circulation, staging the progression of the disease, and assessing treatment and intervention options.
Our diagnostic tests are being designed to assess the portal circulation in patients with chronic liver diesase. Test values correlate with cirrhosis, stage of fibrosis, varices and size of varices.
HepQuant-STAT™
HepQuant-STATTM is primarily designed to be a rapid and convenient screening assay to identify patients with diminished liver function due to undiagnosed chronic liver disease from any etiology including alcohol, fatty liver, viral infection, or other causes.
HepQuant-SHUNT™
All the major manifestations of liver disease, such as ascites, varices, and encephalopathy, are related to an altered portal circulation. HepQuant-SHUNT™ was designed to assess the portal circulation. The patient is given an intravenous and an oral dose of labeled cholates that would normally be cleared by the liver. The clearances of these dual doses are used to assess the amount of portal blood escaping extraction by the liver (portal shunt).
HepQuant-FLOW™
HepQuant-FLOW™ is also being designed to assess portal blood flow. The patient is given only the oral labeled cholate dose and the rate of clearance from the blood is a measure of portal blood flow. It may be used primarily in patients where intravenous administration of the
13C-cholate may need to be avoided – pediatric cases, pregnant women, and inadequate vascular access.
HepQuant Test Kit
The HepQuant Test Kit components include:
- Solution of labeled cholate in sodium bicarbonate buffer for IV administration.
- Solution of human serum albumin to be mixed with the labeled cholate to prepare the intravenous dose.
- A separate oral dose of differentially labeled cholate in flavored sodium bicarbonate buffer ready to drink as the oral dose.
- Five standard blood collection tubes.
- Five transfer pipettes for transfer of serum samples to shipping tubes.
- Five serum shipping tubes for return to the HepQuant reference laboratory.
- A return shipping package for the serum samples.
HepQuant Services
Initally, the HepQuant reference laboratory will analyze serum samples and prepare patient testing reports, until such time as third party laboratories are licensed to analyze samples.
