A Brisbane startup has developed a game-changing pathogen test that could help clinicians treat sepsis by identifying the pathogen that causes the disease.
Sepsis has been identified as a life-threatening disease that occurs once the body attacks its own body tissues and organs as a response to the infection. Sepsis Australia said that the condition kills more than 8,000 Australians each year.
Dubbed “a silent killer”, a pathogen that causes a condition that is very hard to predict, diagnose and treat. This makes the signs and symptoms difficult to detect, hence making the disease potentially deadly for those who contract it.
Now, a pathogen test has been developed by Microbio. ‘InfectID-BSI’, according to Dr Huygens, can quickly identify and inform clinicians about the specific pathogen to target within approximately three hours.
He said that research findings indicate that each hour of delay in administering effective microbial treatment could escalate the risk of mortality by 7.6 per cent. This makes the test a significant breakthrough in the fight against the disease as it accelerates the identification of 26 sepsis-causing pathogens by roughly 13 hours compared to the typical duration it takes for the current identification method.
Microbio, which currently employs 19 staff and contractors, got a boost from the Brisbane Economic Development Agency’s (BEDA) inaugural MedTech Accelerator program. The initiative provided the company with valuable coaching to help it enter the global market and access strategic investors, particularly in the USA.
Dr Huygens said that MedTech Accelerator gave the company’s participants the motivation to step outside their day-to-day operations and concentrate on the strategic drivers that could propel the business forward.
Microbio used this momentum to develop its regulatory approach, refine its clinical trials strategy, hone its commercialization plan, and strengthen its supply chain and manufacturing capabilities. These efforts were undertaken with the aim of ensuring the company’s ability to scale sustainably.
According to Anthony Ryan, CEO of the Brisbane Economic Development Agency, the MedTech Accelerator collaborates with early-stage commercial ventures such as Microbio to assist in initiating global fundraising efforts. The campaigns, he said, provide startup businesses with material and valuable insights to help them present their innovation to potential investors and partners, which results in the expedited attraction of capital and establishment of distribution partnerships.
Microbio has already secured a clearance to sell the test in Europe, the UK and India. They have also sought partners to help them with diagnostic tests across the globe. Dr Huygens added that they will seek additional investments to help further the trials for Australian and USA regulatory clearance.
Published 8-October-2023