Episode Details:
Our Guest: Richard Brandon, Chief Scientific Officer at Immunexpress
What you’ll get out of this episode:
- Richard’s background
- Overview of Immunexpress
- The impact of a lack of reliable sepsis diagnostics
- SeptiCyte technology
- What’s next?
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Introduction
Sepsis, a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its tissues and organs, is a global health concern. Despite its prevalence and severe consequences, diagnosing sepsis remains a significant challenge in the healthcare industry. In this episode, we delve into an enlightening interview with Richard Brandon, the Chief Scientific Officer at Immunexpress, a company at the forefront of revolutionizing sepsis diagnostics.
Richard Brandon’s Background and Immunexpress
Richard Brandon’s journey in the healthcare industry is as diverse as it is impressive. With a background in veterinary science, molecular genetics, and business, Brandon has a unique blend of scientific knowledge and business acumen. His interest in commercializing technology led him to co-found Immunexpress, a company dedicated to improving sepsis diagnostics.
Immunexpress is now at the stage of commercializing its technology, focusing on measuring the host immune response rather than trying to identify a pathogen. This approach is a significant departure from traditional methods and has taken over a decade to develop and gain regulatory clearances.
The Impact of Unreliable Sepsis Diagnostics
The difficulty in diagnosing sepsis has far-reaching implications. For patients, delayed or missed diagnoses can lead to increased mortality. For clinicians, the challenge of identifying sepsis often leads to overuse of antibiotics, contributing to antibiotic resistance. From a health system perspective, managing patients with sepsis costs the U.S. about $50 billion a year. Globally, sepsis kills more people every year than the entire COVID-19 pandemic over a three-year period, making it a major worldwide issue.
The SeptiCyte Technology
Immunexpress’s SeptiCyte technology aims to address these challenges. The technology uses a small blood sample to measure gene expression in white blood cells. Specifically, it looks at two biomarkers, one upregulated and one downregulated, and the differential between these two indicates the likelihood of sepsis. The test takes just an hour, a critical factor given the acute nature of sepsis.
The Future of Immunexpress
Looking ahead, Brandon is excited about the potential for Immunexpress’s technology to be used more broadly. While currently restricted to adults in intensive care, he hopes to see it used more widely in hospital systems, particularly in emergency departments and hospital wards. He also expressed a desire to see the technology used in children, as sepsis tends to affect the very young and the very old.
In addition, Brandon sees potential for the technology to be used in specific patient populations, such as burns and trauma patients who are particularly susceptible to sepsis, and in addressing maternal sepsis, a major issue affecting women worldwide.
Conclusion
Immunexpress is at the forefront of a significant shift in sepsis diagnostics. By focusing on the host immune response rather than trying to identify a pathogen, the company is offering a more accurate, faster, and more reliable method for diagnosing this life-threatening condition. As the company continues to commercialize its technology and expand its applications, it stands to make a significant impact on global health.
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WORD FROM OUR SPONSORS:
Our sponsor for this episode are Sage Growth Partners.
Sage Growth Partners accelerates commercial success for healthcare organizations through a singular focus on growth. The company helps its clients thrive amid the complexities of a rapidly changing marketplace with deep domain expertise and an integrated application of research, strategy, and marketing. For more information, please go to www.sage-growth.com & follow Sage Growth Partners on social media – @sagegrowthpartners
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