Highly Accurate Prognostic Test Predicts Personalized Risk of Severe Illness Due to SARS-CoV-2 Virus
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 24 Mar 2021 |
Illustration
A highly accurate prognostic test that predicts personalized risk of severe illness due to SARS-CoV-2 virus could become an important tool to manage the uncertainty of daily life during the pandemic by identifying high-risk individuals and for those that cannot be vaccinated.
Oxford BioDynamics Plc (Oxford, England) has launched its EpiSwitch COVID-19 Severity Test (CST), based on the company’s EpiSwitch 3D genomics platform. Requiring only a routine blood draw, this important prognostic test is able to identify high-risk individuals who, if exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, are likely to experience the most severe COVID-19 complications and will potentially require hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) support. This test is also relevant to manage care for those individuals who because they are immune-compromised/immune-suppressed or for other medical reasons cannot be vaccinated.
Standard available COVID-19 tests can only detect current or previous infection. They cannot predict immune response. EpiSwitch CST is a prognostic test which uses specific 3D genomic biomarkers to assess immune health and therefore can predict the likely severity of an individual’s COVID-19 response ahead of infection. People known to have a high risk of severe or critical disease may be able to benefit from increased infection mitigation, early aggressive medication, or early intervention in the event of infection. The score provided by the EpiSwitch CST will better enable physicians and at-risk individuals to form effective healthcare management plans, including making informed clinical decisions, lifestyle choices and workplace strategies.
The EpiSwitch CST is based on the findings of Oxford BioDynamics’ recently published, genome-wide study of COVID-positive patients, which identified key 3D genomic biomarkers that determine severity of COVID response. This precision medicine qPCR test was validated using international cohorts of COVID-19 patients from North America, South America and the UK, with the full spectrum of severities of response. It was shown to be robust for predicting critical (ICU) illness due to COVID-19, with high accuracy (92%), sensitivity (96%), specificity (86%), PPV (92%) and NPV (93%).
“As COVID-19 continues to have a major impact on us all, smarter, not just more, testing is required, to enable us to make informed decisions and manage our lives and livelihoods,” said Dr. Jon Burrows, CEO of Oxford BioDynamics. “Even with advanced national vaccination programs underway, millions of people (10 million in the US alone) remain exposed to the risk of severe COVID disease because they are immune-compromised/immune-suppressed or for other medical reasons cannot be vaccinated. Understanding their individual risk will enable them and their physicians to formulate a proactive healthcare plan, and ensure they take appropriate infection mitigation measures.”
Related Links:
Oxford BioDynamics Plc
Oxford BioDynamics Plc (Oxford, England) has launched its EpiSwitch COVID-19 Severity Test (CST), based on the company’s EpiSwitch 3D genomics platform. Requiring only a routine blood draw, this important prognostic test is able to identify high-risk individuals who, if exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, are likely to experience the most severe COVID-19 complications and will potentially require hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) support. This test is also relevant to manage care for those individuals who because they are immune-compromised/immune-suppressed or for other medical reasons cannot be vaccinated.
Standard available COVID-19 tests can only detect current or previous infection. They cannot predict immune response. EpiSwitch CST is a prognostic test which uses specific 3D genomic biomarkers to assess immune health and therefore can predict the likely severity of an individual’s COVID-19 response ahead of infection. People known to have a high risk of severe or critical disease may be able to benefit from increased infection mitigation, early aggressive medication, or early intervention in the event of infection. The score provided by the EpiSwitch CST will better enable physicians and at-risk individuals to form effective healthcare management plans, including making informed clinical decisions, lifestyle choices and workplace strategies.
The EpiSwitch CST is based on the findings of Oxford BioDynamics’ recently published, genome-wide study of COVID-positive patients, which identified key 3D genomic biomarkers that determine severity of COVID response. This precision medicine qPCR test was validated using international cohorts of COVID-19 patients from North America, South America and the UK, with the full spectrum of severities of response. It was shown to be robust for predicting critical (ICU) illness due to COVID-19, with high accuracy (92%), sensitivity (96%), specificity (86%), PPV (92%) and NPV (93%).
“As COVID-19 continues to have a major impact on us all, smarter, not just more, testing is required, to enable us to make informed decisions and manage our lives and livelihoods,” said Dr. Jon Burrows, CEO of Oxford BioDynamics. “Even with advanced national vaccination programs underway, millions of people (10 million in the US alone) remain exposed to the risk of severe COVID disease because they are immune-compromised/immune-suppressed or for other medical reasons cannot be vaccinated. Understanding their individual risk will enable them and their physicians to formulate a proactive healthcare plan, and ensure they take appropriate infection mitigation measures.”
Related Links:
Oxford BioDynamics Plc
Latest COVID-19 News
- Low-Cost System Detects SARS-CoV-2 Virus in Hospital Air Using High-Tech Bubbles
- World's First Inhalable COVID-19 Vaccine Approved in China
- COVID-19 Vaccine Patch Fights SARS-CoV-2 Variants Better than Needles
- Blood Viscosity Testing Can Predict Risk of Death in Hospitalized COVID-19 Patients
- ‘Covid Computer’ Uses AI to Detect COVID-19 from Chest CT Scans
- MRI Lung-Imaging Technique Shows Cause of Long-COVID Symptoms
- Chest CT Scans of COVID-19 Patients Could Help Distinguish Between SARS-CoV-2 Variants
- Specialized MRI Detects Lung Abnormalities in Non-Hospitalized Long COVID Patients
- AI Algorithm Identifies Hospitalized Patients at Highest Risk of Dying From COVID-19
- Sweat Sensor Detects Key Biomarkers That Provide Early Warning of COVID-19 and Flu
- Study Assesses Impact of COVID-19 on Ventilation/Perfusion Scintigraphy
- CT Imaging Study Finds Vaccination Reduces Risk of COVID-19 Associated Pulmonary Embolism
- Third Day in Hospital a ‘Tipping Point’ in Severity of COVID-19 Pneumonia
- Longer Interval Between COVID-19 Vaccines Generates Up to Nine Times as Many Antibodies
- AI Model for Monitoring COVID-19 Predicts Mortality Within First 30 Days of Admission
- AI Predicts COVID Prognosis at Near-Expert Level Based Off CT Scans