HCV infection
Hepatitis C Virus Infection

HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION HEPATITIS C VIRUS INFECTION
HCV infection and M30 Apoptosense® ELISA
An estimated 3% of the world’s population — more than 170 million people — are infected by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). About 70% of infections become chronic: a condition that is associated with developing end stage liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In patients with chronic HCV infection M30 values largely correlate with conventional surrogate markers such as aminotransferase levels. However, patients with normal ALT and progressed HCV-related liver fibrosis were found to also have elevated caspase-cleaved keratin 18 products in their serum, suggesting that M30 measurements represent an even more sensitive marker suitable for the detection of early liver injury. Serological detection of caspase activity also mirrored the degree of liver steatosis in those patients. In addition, M30 is a reliable serum marker to detect liver injury in patients with chronic HBV infection.
Even with current antiviral treatment options about 50% of HCV patients do not respond to treatment, which is costly and associated with significant side effects. There is a strong need for early detection of patients that are not responding to antiviral therapy. In a recent study of 315 patients it could be demonstrated that M30 serum levels decreased in patients responding to antiviral therapy, but not in non-responding patients.
Read more about the VLVbio K18 assays in Hepatitis C

PRODUCT
M30 Apoptosense® ELISA
The M30 Apoptosense® ELISA assay is based on the unique M30® antibody that recognizes a neo-epitope of keratin 18 (K18), formed after caspase cleavage during apoptosis. The M30 Apoptosense® ELISA is CE marked as a medical device for in vitro diagnostic use.
The M30 Apoptosense® ELISA measures the amount of human apoptosis by quantifying the concentration of caspase-cleaved keratin 18 (ccK18) released from epithelial cells.