Atherotech

The Good, the Bad, and the VAP. Atherotech makes the Vertical Auto Profile (VAP) Cholesterol test, a cholesterol level diagnostic that directly measures both low-density lipoprotein (LDL, the "good cholesterol") and high-density lipoprotein (HDL, the "bad cholesterol"). At its clinical laboratory site in Birmingham, the company performs the tests on blood samples collected at doctors' offices, hospitals, clinics, and other labs around the US. In addition to the VAP test, Atherotech makes other diagnostics used to detect cardiovascular disease and is developing new tests based on its VAP technology. The company was acquired by private equity firm Behrman Capital in 2010.