CLINICAL24: MicrosensDx and Imperial College London develop revolutionary sepsis risk test

Simon Walker, CEO of MicrosensDx, discusses the collaboration with The Mayr Group at Imperial College London to develop a groundbreaking sepsis test. This innovative test focuses on Pentraxin 3 (PTX-3) modifications, offering a dual-dimensional approach to sepsis diagnosis by assessing both inflammation and the risk of severe sepsis development. The new method aims to detect sepsis earlier, stratify risk, and improve patient outcomes while reducing healthcare costs globally.

Please introduce yourself and tell us about your role at MicrosensDx.

SW: Hi, my name’s Simon Walker and I am the CEO at MicrosensDx, where we develop sample collection, enrichment and preparation services and products for diagnostic companies and testing laboratories. We are dedicated to empowering diagnostic testing, providing insights into sepsis prognosis and optimized sample content for assays to perform well.

Could you explain the significance of this collaboration between MicrosensDx and The Mayr Group at Imperial College London in developing a new sepsis test?

SW: The collaboration is centered on developing a routine method for clinical testing of patients at risk of developing sepsis. The application centers around Pentraxin 3 (PTX-3) and modifications that occur as part of the immune response. The composition of the response is indicative of the risk of sepsis which, according to the WHO, kills 11 million people every year and can be clinically difficult to diagnose.

What limitations do current sepsis biomarkers have, and how does this new test aim to overcome those challenges?

SW: Typically, current sepsis biomarkers look at inflammation only. Which although helpful is one dimensional, MicrosensDx’s prospective test looks at a second dimension - the risk level of severe sepsis developing, in addition to inflammation. Developing this innovative sepsis risk test offers several possible use cases - enabling the identification of sepsis patients sooner, a prognostic test for sepsis risk and treatment monitoring – each helping clinicians to make specific treatment decisions sooner.

What is the 'P Complex,' and how does its detection help in stratifying the risk of sepsis in patients?

SW: P Complex refers to PTX-3 and its modifications, it is an immune response to infection which undergoes modifications depending on the severity of the response to the infection. Measuring P Complex in aggregate, and its modification level, can help to stratify patients based on a risk level of developing sepsis and severe sepsis. The method being developed will allow the discovery to be fully assessed with clinical samples.

Given the high global mortality rates and financial burden of sepsis, how do you envision this test improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs?

SW: We believe that having an informative, routine and universally available P Complex biomarker test could have a massive impact on patient care and in reducing healthcare costs. All too often there are stories of tragedy where sepsis has not been identified early enough. We hope to change this.

This interview is published as part of the global CLINICAL24 conversation, highlighting challenges facing clinical laboratories and exploring the technology solutions to overcome them.