Blu Biotech to Collaborate on Sepsis Detection Device

Sepsis, caused by untreated infection, is a life-threatening syndrome that is a common complication of many diseases and procedures. According to a press release by Blu Biotech, 48.9 million people each year will have sepsis. Of those 48.9 million, nearly 11 million cases will lead to death, and approximately 2.9 million deaths will be in children under five. To combat sepsis, Blu biotech announced plans to collaborate with the University of Michigan on biomarkers for a sepsis detection device.

The collaboration also intends to develop breath biomarkers for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). ARDS affects nearly 190,000 people in the United States each year. This condition occurs when damage or injury to the lungs causes inflammation and fluid buildup, which prevents adequate oxygenation to the organs. The mortality rate of ARDS ranges from 25% to 40%, with nearly all survivors experiencing physical and mental complications.

In the press release, Robert Tavzel, Chief Executive Officer of Blu Biotech, said, "there is currently no good way to detect Sepsis and ARDS in a timely fashion or to provide healthcare providers the ability to rapidly know if treatments are having their intended effects. If we had an early detection capability that could be employed rapidly with the ability of knowing how patients are reacting to therapies in real-time, countless lives could be saved."

Blu Biotech’s preliminary plans are to collaborate with the University of Michigan’s Max Harry Weil Institute for Critical Care Research and Innovation to develop breath biomarkers for both diseases. Following the development of these biomarkers, the company plans to incorporate the information into an FDA application for the use of the biomarkers in its Micro GC device to detect these illnesses.

“The Weil Institute is developing breath biomarkers for the bedside diagnosis of sepsis and ARDS with the added advantage of being able to continuously monitor these markers to determine the severity of the disease as well as how patients are responding to treatment. This will also greatly assist in the future development of new therapies for sepsis and ARDS. Our partnership with Blu Biotech holds the promises to significantly accelerate this work,” said Kevin Ward, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine at U-M and Executive Director of the Weil Institute, in the press statement.