Rakhim Roziyev is a Candidate of Medical Sciences, founder of the Alliance of competencies “Park of active molecules”, which unites more than 20 biopharmaceutical engineering companies, including LLC OFK-Cardio - a company which is a developer and manufacturer of rapid diagnostic tests for the early detection of myocardial infarction.

In 1984 Rakhim Roziyev graduated from the Kyrgyz State Medical Institute. He underwent his internship and graduate studies in the Medical Radiological Research Center of RAMS (Obninsk), defended his thesis, received the title of senior researcher and continued to work in radiosurgery. Later he was trained at the Swedish Institute of Management.

In November 1998 he headed a small innovative company Medbiopharm, the hallmark of which was iodinated milk protein Yodkazein®. This medicine for the prevention of iodine deficiency took its place on a par with iodized salt, which has almost a century of worldwide application history.

In 2007, Medbiopharm having united with scientists from Moscow State University and the Institute of Molecular Diagnostics, founded the company LLC OFK-Cardio. Experts have begun working on test for the early diagnosis of myocardial infarction based on immunochromatographic method. The idea was to create a simple, affordable to population way to distinguish the beginning of a heart attack from chest pains not related to the heart.

“Today, cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death of Russians”, said the project leader Rakhim Roziyev. “Doctors know that qualified assistance provided in the first hours of the attack can restore blood supply of the heart muscle and avoid not only the death of the patient, but also his or her disability. Time plays a crucial role. But the problem is that even the doctor often cannot distinguish the beginning of myocardial infarction from, for example, neuralgia, and it happens that initially not cardiological diagnosis is given. More often patients themselves underestimate the seriousness of the situation and seek medical treatment too late.”

The years of work resulted in test strips that allow suggesting the beginning of myocardial infarction just by 1 drop of blood from a finger for 10-15 minutes. Clinical trials conducted in leading medical centers in Moscow gave positive results and confirmed the effectiveness of the method.

Characteristics of the test system:

• Early cardiac marker CPBFA (cardiac protein binding fatty acids) used in the test kits “Card Info” can detect damage to the heart muscle cells in the first hour or so.
• CPBFA determination result does not depend on the location of pain and the pain syndrome severity that allows diagnosing a myocardial infarction in case of its atypical flow.
• Use of blood from a finger makes the test convenient for use outside the laboratory: in the hospital ward, doctor's office, in the ambulance, at home.
• Additional equipment for rapid diagnosis is not required: the kit contains everything you need.
• The test kit is easy to use: designed not only for medical staff, but also for people unfamiliar with medicine.

Rakhim Roziyev is convinced that providing ambulances with test kits “Card Info” and the availability of tests in the home medicine cabinet will improve the early diagnosis of heart disease. This will be a condition for reducing the percentage of disability and mortality from myocardial infarction and increased life expectancy by 3-5%, primarily due to persons of working age. 

Estimated budget savings will amount up to 100 million rubles per year per 1 million of population by maintaining tax revenues, reducing the cost of disability benefits and rehabilitation of patients.

The project has a high social and economic importance. At all stages of the implementation it received support, including from the Foundation for Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in Science and Technology and the Government of the Kaluga Region. Agency for Strategic Initiatives supported the project not only as a leadership initiative, but also as an opportunity to solve a number of endemic problems.