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Our Nu.Q® NETs assay detects diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis.

Overview

Rapid detection of sepsis is vital.

Sepsis is the number one cause of death in hospitals worldwide. It kills an estimated 11 million people a year, which is more than cancer or coronary disease. In 2017, there were an estimated 49 million cases, with over half of all cases occurring among children and accounting for 2.9 million deaths in under-fives. Just under half of all survivors are left with psychological and/or physical effects.

Sepsis, also known as ‘blood poisoning’, is hard to identify. Initial symptoms of sepsis are difficult to distinguish from most infections and there is currently a lack of tests to diagnose it symptomatically. Without prompt treatment, it can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

Early detection and treatment of sepsis has the potential to improve survival – and improve the quality of life of survivors.  Imagine if a simple blood test could help diagnose sepsis and identify those patients more likely to deteriorate.

Our Nu.Q® NETs assay detects diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis. It has the potential to help doctors accurately diagnose disease and could also help predict disease severity, measure the treatment response and monitor disease progression.

This simple, low-cost, accessible, routine blood test quantifies an individual’s level of circulating H3.1 nucleosomes, a surrogate marker for NETs.  An elevated level of NETs can lead to tissue damage, and in severe cases, sepsis, organ failure and death.

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Estimated 11 million deaths from sepsis worldwide each year

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Risk of death increases by 7.6% for every hour of treatment delay.

The science of nets

Understanding NETs and NETosis – a recent breakthrough in medical science

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Introducing Nu.Q® NETs

The immune system is comprised of many different types of white blood cell with different functions. The most abundant cells are neutrophils, which serve as the first line of defense. When they detect bacteria, viruses or fungi, these cells produce Neutrophil Extracellular Traps (NETs) – sticky webs made of long strings of nucleosomes that stop the threat from spreading around the body. This unique form of cell death is called NETosis. NETs released into the blood stream, contain nucleosomes, which can be detected by our Nu.Q® NETs assay – the only analytically validated assay to quantify the level of NETs.

Although NETs play a critical role in our normal immune response, elevated levels of NETs are a complicating factor associated with poor patient outcomes in sepsis, cancer, and a range of other diseases.

Introducing Nu.Q® NETs.

Nu.Q® NETs is a groundbreaking CE-marked diagnostic solution that clinicians can use to detect NETosis. Our assay can be used to identify patients with clinically relevant elevated levels of circulating NETs and enable physicians to rapidly treat these patients.

Chromosomes and NETs are made of nucleosomes, and NETs play a pivotal role in endothelial damage and the formation of microthrombi and resultant multiorgan failure.

Our Nu.Q® NETs is the only analytically validated assay to quantify the level of NETs. It is platform agnostic so it can be adapted to any workflow/clinical setting – including central lab and point of care.

Nu.Q® NETs will support clinical decision-making, enabling physicians to act quickly, improving patient outcomes and patient management.

It is registered for use in Europe in an automated ChLIA (Chemiluminescence immunoassay) format.

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Simple, routine blood test

 

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Correlates with SOFA, APACHE II

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The only analytically validated assay to quantify the level of NETs

Working together.

We are working with teams at several major hospitals across Europe, undertaking studies to test our technology as a diagnostic aid for sepsis, to monitor disease progression and treatment response.

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Who: Hospice Civil de Lyon, France

About: We are working with Hospices Civil de Lyon to measure nucleosome levels using the Nu.Q® NETs assay in septic shock patients.

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Who: EPICTETUS study undertaken by Guy’s & St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and led by Dr Andrew Retter.

About: A 500-patient observational study to assess the applicability and efficacy of the Nu.Q® NETs assay to diagnose and monitor patients at risk of sepsis.

A 12-18 month study in critically unwell patients with sepsis in a real-world clinical setting. This is the first time a test to detect NETs directly has been brought to the bedside. Results will be benchmarked against standard blood tests used by clinicians to evaluate sepsis patients.

Next Steps:  Results due April 2025.

 

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Who: Large scale study being undertaken in collaboration with German SepNet Study Group, led by Professor Michael Bauer, Chief Executive Director of the Center for Sepsis Control and Care,  Jena University Hospital.

About: A retrospective analysis of 1000 samples, prospectively collected from intensive care patients, to assess the potential value of Nu.Q® NETs assay to diagnose and monitor patients at risk of sepsis.

Next steps:  Results published at ESICM October 2024

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Who: Large-scale study being undertaken in collaboration with Amsterdam UMC, a leading medical center, and led by Dr Lieuwe Bos.

About: A retrospective analysis of 1700 samples, prospectively collected from intensive care patients, to assess the potential value of Nu.Q® NETs assay to diagnose and monitor patients at risk of sepsis.

Next Steps: Results published at ESICM October 2024

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Who: RECORDS study (Rapid recognition of Corticosteroid Resistant or sensitive Sepsis) currently being undertaken by Professor Djillali Annane.

About: Our Nu.Q® NETs assay is being used as part of RHU RECORDS – a 1,500-patient study – to help identify eligible patients for corticosteroid therapy in the management of sepsis, and help establish decision-making thresholds. Nu.Q® NETs will also be used in conjunction with a point-of-care device to assess critical care requirements.

Next Steps: Interim analysis to be presented at ESICM 2024 and study due to be completed in April 2025.

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Who: Santersus AG

About: We are working with Santersus AG, which is developing “NucleoCapture”, a transformational technology that cleanses blood of NETs as a sepsis treatment. They used Nu.Q® NETs within an animal study to measure treatment response and have moved to their first human trial, with results due shortly.

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Detect NETosis

 

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Predict disease severity and support risk stratification

 

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Monitor disease progression

 

I believe that using the Nu.Q® NETs test to measure elevated H3.1 nucleosome levels as a “treatable trait” in sepsis management could be a game changer in modifying a patient's trajectory. Introducing Nu.Q® NETs into hospitals could lead to new ways of treating sepsis, improve patient survival and the quality of life of survivors.
Professor Djillali Annane
Professor of Medicine at University Paris Saclay-UVSQ