VolitionRx Limited (NYSE American: VNRX), a multinational epigenetics company, announced a technical milestone in the successful detection of nucleosomes in capillary blood from critically ill patients with sepsis using a lateral flow finger-prick prototype. The study, conducted as part of the SUMMIT program, demonstrates the feasibility of detecting nucleosomes in capillary samples, supporting the potential for early detection of immune disruptions associated with conditions like sepsis across point-of-care and non-laboratory settings.
The company noted that the prototype builds on prior results showing correlation between venous blood samples tested with its lateral flow system and its established Nu.Q nucleosome assay. This approach could expand access to testing through point-of-care use and broaden Volition's addressable market while supporting future commercialization efforts, including potential partnerships to increase access in regions with limited laboratory infrastructure.
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body's response to infection causes widespread inflammation, leading to organ failure and death. Early detection is critical for improving patient outcomes, but current diagnostic methods often require venous blood samples and centralized laboratory equipment, limiting access in resource-constrained settings. Volition's finger-prick prototype offers a simpler, less invasive alternative that could enable testing in clinics, emergency rooms, or even remote areas without sophisticated lab facilities.
The implications of this development are significant for the healthcare industry and patients worldwide. By enabling point-of-care testing, Volition's technology could reduce the time to diagnosis and treatment initiation, potentially lowering mortality rates and healthcare costs associated with sepsis. The company's focus on epigenetics, which studies changes in gene expression without altering DNA sequence, positions it to detect diseases at earlier stages through blood-based biomarkers like nucleosomes.
Volition's research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and office in the U.S. and an office in London. The company is dedicated to saving lives and improving outcomes for people and animals with life-altering diseases through earlier detection, as well as disease and treatment monitoring. Through its subsidiaries, Volition is developing and commercializing simple, easy-to-use, cost-effective blood tests to help detect and monitor a range of diseases, including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis.
The full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/ioEmu. For more information about Volition, visit the company's website at www.Volition.com.
