Technology of the Month:
"Early indication of anthrax infection"
George Mason University researchers have discovered a low cost, rapid, early indicator of the presence of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax infections.
Need:
Early symptoms of an anthrax infection are often indistinguishable from a common flu, and if undetected and untreated anthrax infection can have mortality rates nearing 100%. Even where the presence of anthrax is suspected, the current diagnostic of growing, isolating, and identifying a culture of the bacteria can take several days, and the timing of proper treatment for an anthrax infection is important to patient survival. More rapid tests are becoming available, but may only detect the bacteria days after infection, and may require expensive equipment and particular expertise that many hospital labs, and certainly labs serving first responders, may not possess. There is a clear need for this test, which allows the rapid and easy detection of a Bacillus anthracis indicator that presents less than a day after initial infection.
Invention:
George Mason University researchers in the National Center for Biodefense and Infectious Disease discovered high levels of a soluble protein in the blood of anthrax infected animals. The protein, syndecan, is shed from the surface of host cells during infection. Syndecan levels begin spiking hours after initial infection, remain higher than normal for days afterward before slowly leveling off, and might be used to track progression of the infection. Soluble syndecan can be detected and quantified using common immunoassay methods.
Market Significance:
The development of diagnostics, prophylactics, and treatments for anthrax infection is one of the top priorities of U.S. bio defense initiatives. Although the need for frequent anthrax testing in the civilian population is thankfully low, hospitals would certainly want to keep such a test on hand and the military may wish to test personnel in high risk areas more regularly. The test can indicate other types of bacterial infection and lends itself to incorporation into a kit or suite of common immunologist blood tests. Lastly, a large and steady market may be found in veterinary applications.
If you’re interested in commercial opportunities for this technology, contact Joe Janda, Life Sciences Licensing Associate, in George Mason University’s Office of Technology Transfer at 703.993.3879. Mr. Janda’s e-mail address is jjanda@gmu.edu.