More than four million patients in the U.S. are being treated with oral anticoagulants such as warfarin (Coumadin®) for a variety of clinical conditions such as dangerous blood clots, heart attacks, stroke, coronary artery disease, joint replacement, congestive heart failure, and cancer.

In the past, these patients had to make lab appointments to have their blood tested regularly to see if they were maintaining the proper clotting times, according to something called the Prothrombin Time/International Normalized Ratio (PT/INR). A tube of blood would be drawn using a large needle in the arm, which could be painful. And of course, this often created problems for patients who were on anti-clotting therapy in getting the bleeding stopped after the sample was taken.

Further, the sample then needed to be analyzed and the results reported to physicians before patients could be contacted and any adjustment made in their warfarin dosage.

For long-term warfarin users, lab visits typically were required every four to six weeks. This period of time was frequent enough to be inconvenient for patients, many of whom are elderly. At the same time, it was not frequent enough to ensure that patients stayed within the therapeutic range required to properly treat their medical condition.

Testing at Home or in the Doctor’s Office
On June 1st, CoaguSense Inc. — which is headquartered in Building 42840 Christy St., Suite 110 — emerged from stealth mode, with FDA approval of their groundbreaking portable, point-of-care medical system.

The CoaguSense PT/INR monitoring system is designed for home use by patients, or by physicians right in their offices, without requiring a separate trip by patients to a specialized lab. Medicare will now cover both treatment options.

With the CoaguSense system, a small finger stick is all that’s needed to produce a blood sample on a test strip. The system’s metering device then reads the sample and adjustments can be made by physicians instantly, minimizing the chance of clotting.

Talking with CoaguSense President and CEO Doug Patterson, I learned that administering anticoagulants such as warfarin or Coumadin has always carried significant risks for the medical community. “If a physician prescribes too high a level of warfarin to ensure clots don’t occur or reoccur, there’s a real risk of causing a hemorrhagic stroke due to excessive bleeding,” Patterson explained. “That could lead to a costly malpractice suit against the physician. But if too little is prescribed, then the patient will get blood clots. It’s critical the optimum therapeutic range is maintained — and that’s where our system can help.”

Christy Street Space Offers CoaguSense Extraordinary Flexibility
Founded in 2008, CoaguSense moved into 3,323 sq. ft. of space in 42840 Christy St. in early 2009. Patterson said the location in Fremont, close to the I-880 freeway, as well as services and dining in the Pacific Commons Shopping Center, was ideal for employees.

But what appealed most to Patterson was Christy Street’s flexibility to accommodate the expansion he envisioned for the company. CoaguSense just added 3,000 sq. ft. of space in the adjacent suite 112 — combining suites 112 and 110 into a single office with more than 6,300 sq. ft. That gives Patterson enough room for office purposes — and even to manufacture the test strips in a small facility that’s part of the Fremont space. Meter fabrication is outsourced.

“As a medical device company, we are certified not only by the State of California but also ISO under ISO 1345 guidelines,” said Patterson. “If we were to move, we would have to undergo the arduous certification process again. Having the flexibility to expand here at Christy Street is critical.”

This may prove even more critical going forward. Industry analysts estimate the patient self-testing market will grow by over 500% annually, from $100 million to $1 billion annually within five years!

Abbott Labs has signed an exclusive sales agreement to market the CoaguSense system nationwide. For more information about CoaguSense, visit the website. To find out more about the remaining spaces at Fremont Business Park at Christy Street, e-mail Anna Mcquillan Rose, or call her at (408) 550-4826. DRE License #01368576

The evidence is clear. The latest economic report released last week confirmed the worst U.S. recession in decades did indeed end sometime in the middle of 2009, when the economic data began to improve.

With unemployment expected to remain high for some time, it’s likely to be a long slow climb out of the depths. But leading the way will be emerging, often smaller businesses with tremendous growth prospects. It’s precisely these types of companies that have lately been calling Fremont Business Park at Christy Street home.

Smaller Spaces the Hottest
Recently leasing activity at Christy Street has provided plenty of evidence.

“Most of the demand has been for new, smaller spaces that we have created out of larger spaces that just weren’t the right fit for the 2009-2010 leasing market,” said Ralph Borelli, Chairman of Borelli Investment Company, which is managing and marketing the complex. “The new tenants represent a broad cross-section of business sectors, but they are almost all emerging businesses with bright prospects for the future. This makes for a very dynamic environment within the complex.”

Three New Smaller Spaces Available
As part of a comprehensive $2 million renovation of the 120,000 square foot, three-building complex, a larger space in 42808 Christy was divided into spaces as small as 357 square feet, leasing for just $495/month. At that price — as you might imagine — the offices were quickly snapped up by emerging growth companies.

Other smaller offices that were created included a 567-square-foot office in 42501 Albrae Street — now leased — and an available 1,168-square-foot office in 42840 Christy with two private offices, an open reception area, coffee bar, and CAT5 wiring already in place. This is the last of the original set of small offices that is still available.

Now, Borelli is dividing another larger space into three more new smaller offices, and the demand for these offices is expected to be high. For complete details, brokers or business owners are encouraged to e-mail Anna Mcquillan Rose immediately, or call her at (408) 550-4826. DRE License #01368576.

Activity at the Complex Remains Brisk
Anna reports that the number of inquiries and requests for tours continues to increase — for both the smaller spaces and for the larger spaces that are ideal for companies taking the next step up.

She explained, “It’s just a very exciting business community at Christy Street. You can almost feel the energy. These businesses are built on great ideas, and the owners are excited about the future. The companies’ enthusiasm seems contagious — it creates a very positive place to work.”