Sepsis is a potentially deadly medical condition that is characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state and the presence of a known or suspected infection. There are approximately 1.0 million cases of sepsis annually in the U.S. alone. Effective measures to prevent sepsis and to diagnose and manage these patients are critical to decrease mortality and reduce hospital costs. Nanosphere is one company that is pursuing a revolutionary new gold standard for sepsis diagnosis and treatment pending regulatory review and approval of its blood stream infection panel. The company's technology will not only improve clinical patient outcomes, but also advance antibiotic stewardship by improving the ability to treat life threatening blood infections without increasing resistance to antibiotics. Additionally, the economic driver is that faster more accurate diagnosis leads to less time in a hospital and improved mortality rates.
Nanosphere's market research confirms that healthcare providers want a broader based blood stream infection product that cuts days off the time to results and offers ease of use and an on-demand testing format. According to Roger Moody, CFO, Nanosphere, "Nanosphere's unique and compelling value proposition will deliver both the diagnostic and resistance information in approximately 2 hours from a positive blood culture allowing for appropriate intervention in a much timelier manner." If you would like to conduct an interview with Roger Moody, CFO, please advise as he would be happy to speak to you.
Nanosphere (NASDAQ:NSPH) based in Northbrook, Illinois is a nanotechnology-based, molecular diagnostics company that has developed a better, faster and less costly approach to diagnostic testing that is now in full-scale commercialization.
The current methods to reach a complete and actionable diagnosis for sepsis in a patient can take up to 72 hours. Vital hours that can mean life or death to a patient. First, a blood culture is taken and processed for presence of an infectious organism. This process takes approximately 12-15 hours in most cases. If that culture is positive, a sample is then grown out in a culture dish for identification usually taking an additional 24-48 hours. The sample is then tested for susceptibility and/or resistance to antibiotic therapy requiring an additional 24 hours.
