May 2020

Corona Corner

Much excitement about the thrombotic complications emerging in Covid-19 disease. Heparin iv does not seem to be adequate in preventing this. An aerosol form is being used in one study. Low molecular weight heparin has been proposed in another. Roche have ramped up production of their clot-buster TPA (Activase) for emergency use. It's funny that we get more information about this pandemic from regular news outlets than from our professional journals.
A group at the Royal London Hospital (Bowles L, Platton S, Yartey N, et al New Engl J Med. DOI:10.1056) have shown a high incidence of lupus anticoagulant among patients with severe coronavirus disease. The thrombotic mechanism behind LA remains unclear and DOACs have recently been shown to not work in this type of autoimmune thrombosis. Endothelial damage, cytokine storm, effects of angiotensin converting enzyme, what is happening? Will the immunoglobulins being isolated from recovered patients also contain lupus anticoagulant? It seems that we may learn a lot from this pandemic apart from how to survive in isolation.
At Haematex we have excellent lupus anticoagulant tests available. Our ARTG-listed/TGA approved Cephen reagent pair from Hyphen BioMed are already in use in several Australian labs. Our Intrinsins, (which are similar, except made locally), have been internally validated by several other users.

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HBM are close to finally releasing their dRVVT "Screen/Confirm" pair which have been in development for some time and which have had several excellent evaluations. Our own Haematex dRVVT reagents are more reliable than those affected by DOACs as shown in a paper by Barbara Depreter and Katrien M.J. Devreese "Dilute Russell's viper venom time reagents in lupus anticoagulant testing: a well-considered choice" Clin Chem Lab Med 2016. However, they are only for research use as the cost of local regulatory requirements is excessive for our humble company. (Note that there are a few errors in the Devreese paper).

Factor VIII SPECIAL!

For a limited time only, we are taking 20% off the regular price of #221406 BIOPHEN FVIII (2 x 6ml) kits, normally priced at $576.00, now $460! This is our popular Chromogenic assay for the measurement of Factor VIII:C activity in human citrated plasma, Factor VIII:C concentrates, or biological fluids. Automated or Manual method. This assay offers two working ranges for Factor VIII:C (Low: 0 to 25% and High: 0 to 200%).
Associated calibrator and controls are available: BIOPHEN Plasma Calibrator 222101), BIOPHEN Normal Control Plasma223201 and BIOPHEN Abnormal Control Plasma 223301.

We've got your regular stock covered!

In anticipation of supply chain disruptions from our French Hyphen product lines, we have stocked up with your popular items and can immediately dispatch DTI kits, FVIII kits, Cephen (CK515L/CK512K and CK522K) and calibrators/controls for Orgaran and dabigatran. HRRS and DOAC-Stop made locally are also stocked up and ready to dispatch.

Thanks for reading, we are grateful that we can act as your local coag news resource.

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