COVID-19 Has Crystallized the Need for Effective Diagnostics at the Point-of-Need
COVID-19 Has Crystallized the Need for Effective Diagnostics at the Point-of-Need
COVID-19 Has Crystallized the Need for Effective Diagnostics at the Point-of-Need
COVID-19 Has Crystallized the Need for Effective Diagnostics at the Point-of-Need
COVID-19 Has Crystallized the Need for Effective Diagnostics at the Point-of-Need
Specific Applications Involving Immune-System Monitoring
Monitoring the immune system can be beneficial across multiple applications​, each requiring a slightly different panel of biomarkers.​
Wellness Self Monitoring
This Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) application will allow individual to monitor their personal inflammation level by routinely (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly) measuring the blood level of a panel of biomarkers. By establishing a personal baseline to which all future measurements can be compared, people will be able to identify certain triggers (e.g., allergens, types of food and stress) that increase their inflammation levels and make the necessary changes to avoid them.​
Immunotherapy Companion Diagnostics
Immunotherapy represents a pivotal advancement in cancer treatment, where biological drugs are tailored to harness and direct the body's immune system to identify and attack cancer cells. Despite the promise of these therapies, the response rate often hovers around 15% - 20%. This means a significant proportion of patients (approximately 80% - 85%) may not respond to a given immunotherapy. Timely identification of these non-responders is crucial, as it can prevent unnecessary exposure to ineffective treatments and associated side effects, and allow for a more rapid transition to alternative therapeutic strategies. Incorporating technologies like Q-SENS into the management of patients undergoing immunotherapy can greatly enhance this process. Q-SENS is designed to monitor cytokine levels, in real-time. It is particularly valuable in the context of CAR T-cell therapy, where monitoring cytokine levels is critical for the early detection and management of Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS) and Immune Effector Cell-Associated Neurotoxicity Syndrome (ICANS). By providing real-time data on cytokine fluctuations, Q-SENS could alert healthcare providers to the initial signs of these potentially life-threatening complications, enabling prompt intervention. Furthermore, by tracking the immune response more closely, Q-SENS could also help in identifying patients who are not responding to the therapy early in the treatment course. This rapid feedback would be invaluable in guiding clinical decisions, optimizing treatment plans, and ultimately, improving patient outcomes in cancer immunotherapy.
Autoimmunity Monitoring
Many autoimmune diseases lack effective therapy. This leaves those patients, who are often suffering excruciating pain, with no solution other than trying to manage their condition to minimize their suffering. Monitoring their immune system can allow those patients to better control their condition by identifying and avoid specific triggers worsening their pain.
Anti-inflammatory Drug Monitoring
Anti-Inflammatory Biological Drugs are substances derived from living cells and are used to block specific proteins of the immune system. While providing a much-needed relief to patients suffering from autoimmune diseases, these drugs are expensive (thousands of dollars per month). The efficacy of the drug varies from person to person and in many cases diminishes over time, mainly due to our immune system fending them off (e.g., by generating Anti-Drug Antibodies). It is therefore beneficial to monitor the immune system while taking these drugs, making sure the efficacy of the drug is maintained and no adverse side effects are triggered.