New Versiti Assay Evaluates Ability of a Patient's Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) to Support Platelet Binding

MILWAUKEE, Oct. 28, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Research from the Blood Research Institute at Versiti has contributed to a new, novel assay which can more accurately evaluate the ability of a patient's von Willebrand Factor (VWF) to support the clotting process, thereby helping physicians identify the cause of unexplained bleeding in some patients and guide appropriate treatment.

Research conducted at Versiti's Blood Research Institute, led to the development of the VWF Collagen IV Binding assay, or VWF:CBIV assay, which is now available for clinical order from Versiti Diagnostic Laboratories. With an extremely high degree of accuracy, the Collagen IV Binding Assay can identify rare bleeding phenotypes associated with VWF A1 domain sequence variations for type 1 von Willebrand Disease (VWD) and type 2M VWD. The addition of the VWF:CBIV assay makes Versiti's von Willebrand Disease testing portfolio the most comprehensive panel available. Von Willebrand Disease is a complex disorder impacting up to 1% of the U.S. population.

"Defective VWF binding to type IV collagen is more prevalent in patients than defects in binding to type III collagen, and both collagen binding defects are associated with a bleeding phenotype in patients," said Dr. Sandra Haberichter, director of hemostasis at Versiti and associate professor of pediatrics for the Medical College of Wisconsin. "The cause of bleeding in these patients is usually not detected due to lack of availability of assays. Our team at Versiti is proud to lead the way with this first-of-its-kind diagnostic test in the United States."

"I think that the most exciting aspect of the VWF Collagen IV Binding Assay is that there may be patients out there who have VWD due to a defect in collagen binding that current tests can't diagnose, and this will help these patients to receive the correct diagnosis and treatment," said Dr. Veronica Flood, professor of pediatric hematology/oncology with the Medical College of Wisconsin and associate investigator for the Blood Research Institute at Versiti.

Although type 2M collagen binding defects are rare, defects in VWF binding to type IV collagen are more prevalent than defects in type III collagen binding.  

Related von Willebrand Assays
To establish clarity, Versiti's existing VWF assay "VWF Collagen Binding Activity" has been renamed "VWF Collagen III Binding" (CBIII) (order code 1281). Von Willebrand Factor binds to collagen III binding through the VWF-A3 domain and the CBIII/Ag ratio is an excellent screen for multimeric defects.

Comprehensive von Willebrand Disease Diagnostics
With the addition of the VWF Collagen IV Binding Assay, Versiti now offers the most extensive test options for the diagnosis of von Willebrand disease. Click here to view the evaluation algorithm.

For more information about the VWF:CBIV assay from the Blood Research Institute at Versiti, visit www.Versiti.org/CBIV.

About Versiti
Versiti, a national leader in blood health innovation, was formed with the mission to improve the health of patients and enable the success of our health care partners nationally. We provide innovative, value added solutions in the fields of transfusion medicine, transplantation, and blood-related diseases to meet the needs of each of our customers. The collective efforts across Versiti result in improved patient outcomes, expanded access to care and cost efficiencies for health care systems nationwide. For more information, visit versiti.org.

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SOURCE Versiti, Inc.