Learning from failure

Transplanted kidneys live on borrowed time, with many grafts eventually succumbing to immune attack or recurrence of the original kidney disease. Now, a gene expression study by a Canadian team has identified a set of biomarkers associated with graft failures.¹ The findings are a big step toward unraveling why some patients lose their grafts and could help nephrologists adjust immunosuppressant regimens and antifibrosis therapies.

The findings have spurred the launch of Transcriptome Sciences Inc., a new diagnostic services company. Meanwhile, Stromedix Inc. hopes to use the gene expression data to help interpret the effects of its fibrosis drug candidate...