NOTICE:

In 2010, Optherion completed two separate business transactions, one related to its diagnostics business and one related to its therapeutics business.

With respect to its diagnostics business, in February, 2010, Optherion completed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Sequenom, Inc.. Under the agreement, Sequenom’s CAP accredited and CLIA-certified laboratory, Sequenom Center for Molecular Medicine (Sequenom CMM), obtained the rights to develop and commercialize diagnostic tests to predict genetic predisposition to late stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Please see News Room at Optherion.com for Sequenom’s press release.

With respect to its therapeutics business, also in 2010, Optherion completed a business transaction with another company. Both the company name and the transaction economics are confidential.

As a result of these two transactions, Optherion, itself, is no longer actively developing any diagnostics or therapeutics. Given this, the Optherion.com website has not been updated since year-end, 2010 albeit the nature of Optherion’s diagnostic and therapeutic endeavors are accurately represented in the website for the time period prior to the transactions.

Kindest regards,

Colin J. Foster
President & CEO
Optherion, Inc.

Dense Deposit Disease (MPGNII) – Overview and Treatments

Recurrent membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis after kidney transplantation.
  • Lorenz EC, Sethi S, Leung N, Dispenzieri A, Fervenza FC, Cosio FG.
  • Kidney Int. 2010 Feb 3
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
  • Alchi B, Jayne D.
  • Pediatr Nephrol. 2009 Nov 12.
Dense deposit disease presenting as endocapillary proliferative nephritis.
  • Suzuki K, Tsugawa K, Oki E, Aita K, Endo M, Waga S, Ito E, Tanaka H.
  • Pediatr Int. 2009 Oct;51(5):739-41. No abstract available.
Autoimmune forms of thrombotic microangiopathy and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis: Indications for a disease spectrum and common pathogenic principles.
  • Skerka C, Licht C, Mengel M, Uzonyi B, Strobel S, Zipfel PF, Józsi M.
  • Mol Immunol. 2009 Sep;46(14):2801-7. Epub 2009 Jul 28.
Clinical and pathological characteristics of children with dense deposit disease]
  • Liu JC, Yang JY, Xiao HJ, Huang JP, Yao Y, Li X, Wang SX.
  • Zhonghua Er Ke Za Zhi. 2009 Aug;47(8):593-7. Chinese
Treatment of subretinal neovascular membrane in a patient with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II.
  • Farah SE, Fazelat A, Frei G.
  • Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging. 2009 Jul-Aug;40(4):416-8.
A prolonged course of Group A streptococcus-associated nephritis: a mild case of dense deposit disease (DDD)?
  • Sawanobori E, Umino A, Kanai H, Matsushita K, Iwasa S, Kitamura H, Oda T, Yoshizawa N, Sugita K, Higashida K.
  • Clin Nephrol. 2009 Jun;71(6):703-7.
Glomeruli of Dense Deposit Disease contain components of the alternative and terminal complement pathway.
  • Sethi S, Gamez JD, Vrana JA, Theis JD, Bergen HR 3rd, Zipfel PF, Dogan A, Smith RJ.
  • Kidney Int. 2009 May;75(9):952-60. Epub 2009 Jan 28.
Associations between chronic kidney disease and age-related macular degeneration.
  • Nitsch D, Evans J, Roderick PJ, Smeeth L, Fletcher AE.
  • Ophthalmic Epidemiol. 2009 May-Jun;16(3):181-6.
Oligosaccharide composition is similar in drusen and dense deposits in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II.
  • D'souza YB, Jones CJ, Short CD, Roberts IS, Bonshek RE.
  • Kidney Int. 2009 Apr;75(8):824-7. Epub 2009 Jan 28.
Extensive drusen in type I membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
  • Han DP, Sievers S.
  • Arch Ophthalmol. 2009 Apr;127(4):577-9.
Hereditary and acquired complement dysregulation in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis.
  • Licht C, Fremeaux-Bacchi V.
  • Thromb Haemost. 2009 Feb;101(2):271-8.
Pathological aspects of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (MPGN) and haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS) / thrombocytic thrombopenic purpura (TTP).
  • Benz K, Amann K.
  • Thromb Haemost. 2009 Feb;101(2):265-70.
Dense Deposit Disease: Clinicopathologic Study of 32 Pediatric and Adult Patients
  • Nasr SH, Valeri AM, Appel GB, Sherwinter J, Stokes MB, Said SM, Markowitz GS, D’Agati VD
  • Clin J Am Soc Nephrol . 2008 Oct 29 [Epub ahead of print]
A microstructural retinal analysis of membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis type II
  • Gerth C, Zawadzki RJ, Licht C, Werner JS, Heon E.
  • Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Aug;92(8):1150-1
Long-term follow-up of drusen-like lesions in patients with type II mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis.
  • D'souza Y, Short CD, McLeod D, Bonshek RE.
  • Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Jul;92(7):950-3.
Dense deposit disease and the factor H H402 allele
  • Lau KK, Smith RJ, Kolbeck PC, Butani L
  • Clin Exp Nephrol. 2008 June;12(3):228-32, Epub 2008 Jan 26
Genetic deficiency of complement factor H in a patient with age-related macular degeneration and membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis
  • Montes T, Goicoechea de Jorge E, Ramos R, Goma M, Pujol O, Sanchez-Corral P, Rodriguez de Cordoba S.
  • Mol Immunol. 2008 May;45(10):2897-904. Epub 2008 Mar 12
Complement factor H polymorphisms, renal phenotypes and age-related macular degeneration: the Blue Mountains Eye Study.
  • Xing C, Sivakumaran TA, Wang JJ, Rochtchina E, Joshi T, Smith W, Mitchell P, Iyengar SK.
  • Genes Immun. 2008 Apr;9(3):231-9. Epub 2008 Mar 13.
Glycoproteins of drusen and drusen-like lesions.
  • D'souza Y, Jones CJ, Bonshek R.
  • J Mol Histol. 2008 Feb;39(1):77-86. Epub 2007 Sep 11.
New approaches to the treatment of dense deposit disease
  • Smith RJ, Alexander J, Barlow PN, Botto M, Cassavant TL, Cook HT, de Cordoba SR, Hageman GS, Jokiranta TS, Kimberling WJ, Lambris JD, Lanning LD, Levidiotis V, Licht C, Lutz HU, Meri S, Pickering MC, Quigg RJ, Rops AL, Salant DJ, Sethi S, Thurman JM, Tully HF, Tully SP, van der Vlag J, Walker PD, Wurzner R, Zipfel PF; Dense Deposit Disease Focus Group
  • J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007 Sep;18(9):2447-56. Epub Aug 5
MPGN II--genetically determined by defective complement regulation?
  • Licht C, Schlötzer-Schrehardt U, Kirschfink M, Zipfel PF, Hoppe B.
  • Pediatr Nephrol. 2007 Jan;22(1):2-9. Epub 2006 Sep 23.
Variations in the complement regulatory genes factor H (CFH) and factor H related 5 (CFHR5) are associated with membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II (dense deposit disease)
  • Abrera-Abeleda MA, Nishimura C, Smith JL, Sethi S, McRae JL, Murphy BF, Silvestri G, Skerka C, Jozsi M, Zipfel PF, Hageman GS, Smith RJ
  • J. Med Genet. 2006 Jul; 43(7):582-9, Epub 2005 Nov 18.
Recurrence of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II in renal allografts: The North American Pediatric Renal Transplant Cooperative Study experience.
  • Braun MC, Stablein DM, Hamiwka LA, Bell L, Bartosh SM, Strife CF.
  • J Am Soc Nephrol. 2005 Jul;16(7):2225-33. Epub 2005 May 11.
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II (dense deposit disease): an update
  • Appel GB, Cook HT, Hageman G, Jennette JC, Kashgarian M, Kirschfink M, Lambris JD, Lanning L, Lutz HU, Meri S, Rose NR, Salant DJ, Sethi S, Smith RJ, Smoyer W, Tully HF, Tully SP, Walker P, Welsh M, Würzner R, Zipfel PF.
  • J Am Soc Nephrol. 2005 May;16(5):1392-403. Epub 2005 Mar 30.
Complement factor h limits immune complex deposition and prevents inflammation and scarring in glomeruli of mice with chronic serum sickness
  • Alexander JJ, Pickering MC, Haas M, Osawe I, Quigg RJ
  • J Am Soc Nephrol. 2005 Jan;16(1):52-7. Epub 2004 Dec 1
Prognosis, treatment and outcome of childhood mesangiocapillary (membranoproliferative) glomerulonephritis.
  • Cansick JC, Lennon R, Cummins CL, Howie AJ, McGraw ME, Saleem MA, Tizard EJ, Hulton SA, Milford DV, Taylor CM.
  • Nephrol Dial Transplant. 2004 Nov;19(11):2769-77. Epub 2004 Sep 22.
Peripheral drusen in membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis Type II.
  • Huang SJ, Costa DL, Gross NE, Yannuzzi LA
  • Retina. 2003 Jun;23(3):429-31.
Management of membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II with plasmapheresis.
  • Kurtz KA, Schlueter AJ.
  • J Clin Apher. 2002;17(3):135-7
Structure and composition of drusen associated with glomerulonephritis: implications for the role of complement activation in drusen biogenesis
  • Mullins RF, Aptsiauri N, Hageman GS
  • Eye. 2001 Jun;15(Pt 3):390-5
Inherited factor H dysfunction and complement-associated glomerulonephritis in renal grafts of first and second transplantations
  • Watanabe S, Yamaguchi Y, Suzuki T, Ikezoe M, Matsumoto N, Chikamoto H, Nagafuchi H, Horita S, Hattori M, Shiraga H, Tokumoto T, Tanabe K, Toma H, Ito K
  • Clin Transplant. 2001; 15 Suppl 5:45-50
In situ complement activation in porcine mebranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II
  • Jansen JH, Hogasen K, Harboe M, Hovig T.
  • Kidney Int. 1998 Feb; 53 (2):331-49
Hereditary porcine membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II is caused by factor H deficiency.
  • Høgåsen K, Jansen JH, Mollnes TE, Hovdenes J, Harboe M.
  • J Clin Invest. 1995 Mar;95(3):1054-61
Regression of recurrent membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis type II in a transplanted kidney after plasmapheresis therapy
  • Oberkircher OR, Enama M, West JC, Campbell P, Moran J.
  • Transplant Proc. 1988 Feb;20(1 Suppl 1):418-23.
Plasma exchange in the treatment of mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis.
  • McGinley E, Watkins R, McLay A, Boulton-Jones JM.
  • Nephron. 1985;40(4):385-90.
Idiopathic mesangiocapillary glomerulonephritis. Comparison of types I and II in children and adults and long-term prognosis.
  • Cameron JS, Turner DR, Heaton J, Williams DG, Ogg CS, Chantler C, Haycock GB, Hicks J.
  • Am J Med. 1983 Feb;74(2):175-92. Review
Membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Localization of early components of complement in glomerular deposits.
  • Davis BK, Cavallo T.
  • Am J Pathol. 1976 Aug;84(2):283-98.
Continuing C3 breakdown after bilateral nephrectomy in patients with membrano-proliferative glomerulonephritis.
  • Vallota EH, Forristal J, Spitzer RE, Davis NC, West CD.
  • J Clin Invest. 1971 Mar;50(3):552-8.