Non-invasive technique to estimate the risk of vitamin K insufficiency-related cardiovascular disease
VitaK Innovation in Life Science, a Maastricht University spin-off, has launched the Vita K Meter, the first non-invasive device for monitoring vitamin status. Drs. Mehrdad Omidvar, CEO of VitaK, proudly announces that his scientific team, headed by Dr. Cees Vermeer, CSO, has succeeded in developing several technologies to estimate vitamin K insufficiency by Point-of-Care (POC) and In Vitro Diagnostics (IVD).
Being world’s largest research and knowledge center in the vitamin K area and MGP, VitaK has a long history in investigating of the vital importance of vitamin K2 for preventing cardiovascular disease. Vita K Meter is a non-invasive fingertip medical device enabling health care providers to obtain accurate information about the vascular characteristics of their patient within 2 minutes. Vita K Meter is based on the Accelerated PlethysmoGraphy (APG) technology, with which the pulsations of the blood stream in the microvasculature are used to assess vascular stiffening. VitaK Innovation in Life Science is the owner of the patent application by which APG is also linked to the vascular vitamin K status (patent application PCT/EP2016/053696).
In numerous scientific papers of VitaK it has been concluded that increased vitamin K2 intake may promote public health and contribute to a decrease of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. By developing innovative POC devices, VitaK intends to help optimizing public health by personalized nutrition. Vitamin K insufficiency is widespread among the general population and one of the largest risk factors for cardiovascular disease and mortality.
“During recent years most countries in the Middle East have experienced a strong increase of diseases in the cluster of cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease. These diseases have in common that they are all strongly associated with a poor vitamin K status. It is expected that the numbers of patients will increase further. For that reason, the Vita K Meter has been introduced already in several countries in this region”, says Omidvar.
The research team of VitaK’s POC/IVD division is dedicated to take a leading role in integrated healthare. To this aim VitaK, together with important strategic partners, is also developing the VITA METER, a POC / IVD device enabling a variety of specific assays helping general practitioners and other healthcare providers to obtain maximal information near the patient and to support real-time decision making.
