Device for Detecting Infections in Astronauts Adapted for Sepsis

A hand-held device originally designed for detecting infections in astronauts can diagnose life-threatening conditions such as sepsis within 20 minutes.

The technology is being developed by LeukoDx, (Jerusalem, Israel), part of the Cardio Ventures business accelerator, which specializes in medical devices and diagnostics. The portability and low-cost of the device also makes it suitable for monitoring diseases such as AIDS in developing countries.

The LeukoDx technology prototype was initiated by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA; Washington, DC, USA) with the goal of developing a small, self-contained tool for detecting infections in astronauts. LeukoDx has in-licensed the technology from NASA.

The LeukoDx point-of-care flow cytometer has the potential to be used for a wide range of diagnostics, including cancer testing, but the company decided to make its first priority the development of an application for diagnosing sepsis. As the health of sepsis patients tends to deteriorate very quickly, therapeutic decisions made following a rapid diagnostic obtained within 15-20 minutes can be the difference between patient survival and death.

Another priority application in the works for the LeukoDx flow cytometer device involves monitoring AIDS for the estimated 33 million people now living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Blood tests that indicate the AIDS patient's CD4 T-cell count are currently used for monitoring the effectiveness of treatments as well as updating the status of the immune system in AIDS patients. However, this testing currently requires the use of expensive central laboratory instruments and resources not usually available in many countries where AIDS is prevalent.

"We believe that our Micro flow hand-held flow cytometer under development will be the ideal low cost solution way to provide on-going monitoring of the effectiveness of the combinations of drugs used in the treatment of AIDS in countries where medical facilities are sparse," said Julien Meissonnier, president and CEO of LeukoDx.

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LeukoDx
U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration