Patent ID: 7632684

Claim:
A method for measuring an amount of isomerised fragments of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), comprising measuring in a sample of blood, serum, plasma, or synovial fluid the amount of isomerised fragments of COMP which comprise the amino acid sequence AQED β SDH (SEQ ID NO 21) wherein the D residue at position 4 therein is L-aspartic acid bound in the peptide chain via the β carboxylic acid thereof, said measurement being carried out using an antibody or binding fragment of an antibody which specifically recognizes and binds said sequence and which preferentially binds said sequence AQED β SDH (SEQ ID NO 21) as compared to the non-isomerised COMP fragment containing the sequence AQEDSDH (SEQ ID NO 22) in which the D residue at position 4 therein is bound in the peptide chain via the α carboxylic acid group thereof.