VolitionRx Limited (NYSE American: VNRX) announced the filing of a strategic patent application covering the use of its proprietary Nu.Q technology for triaging and monitoring patients suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus. The application builds on the company’s existing Nu.Q NETs test, which measures circulating nucleosomes and neutrophil extracellular traps as early indicators of hyper-inflammation associated with septic shock and mortality.
The company stated that its CE-Marked automated Nu.Q NETs assay and recently developed finger-prick lateral flow detection prototype could provide a low-cost bedside triage solution during Ebola outbreaks, particularly in resource-constrained regions. Volition is seeking partnerships with global health organizations, pharmaceutical developers, NGOs and distribution partners to support field trials, manufacturing scale-up and potential deployment in outbreak zones.
This development is significant because Ebola outbreaks often occur in areas with limited healthcare infrastructure, where rapid identification and isolation of infected individuals are critical to controlling spread. Current diagnostic methods may require laboratory equipment and trained personnel, which are scarce in such settings. Volition’s finger-prick test could enable frontline healthcare workers to quickly assess patients, potentially improving patient outcomes and reducing transmission.
The Nu.Q NETs test is designed to detect neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), which are networks of DNA and proteins released by immune cells during inflammation. Elevated NETs levels have been associated with severe sepsis and mortality. By applying this technology to Ebola, Volition aims to address the need for early triage tools that can differentiate between Ebola and other febrile illnesses, which often present similar symptoms.
Volition is a multinational company focused on advancing the science of epigenetics. Through its subsidiaries, it develops and commercializes simple, easy-to-use, cost-effective blood tests to help detect and monitor a range of diseases, including some cancers and diseases associated with NETosis, such as sepsis. The company’s research and development activities are centered in Belgium, with an innovation laboratory and office in the U.S. and an office in London.
For further information, visit the company’s website at https://volition.com/. The full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/UOWP1.
