Study shows ImmuKnow® test improves patient survival rate
Jenni Miller, Marketing Manager, Viracor-IBT Laboratories, jenni.miller@viracoribt.com
As a member of the Eurofins Scientific Group, Viracor-IBT Laboratories is committed to contributing positively to global health through its specialised clinical diagnostic testing, such as its ImmuKnow® assay.
Results from a recent study1 published in Transplantation2, show that ImmuKnow®—the FDA-cleared immune cell function assay that detects cell-mediated immunity in immunosuppressed patients— helps improve outcomes in solid organ transplant (SOT) patients. The study demonstrated that the assay provided additional data which helped physicians optimise immunosuppression, and ultimately improve patient survival rate.
Specifically, the study showed that the use of the ImmuKnow® assay helped (1) increase patient survival by 13% one year post-transplant, (2) decrease infections over two weeks post-transplant, and (3) lower immunosuppressant drug dosage (tacrolimus). While there have been numerous retrospective and prospective studies over the years demonstrating the ability of ImmuKnow in identifying patients at risk of organ rejection and infection, this is the first interventional, outcomes-based study.
In solid organ transplantation, optimising a patient’s immunosuppressive therapy is critical in balancing the risk of organ rejection caused by an inadequately suppressed immune system, and the risk of infection, cancer and drug toxicity caused by over-immunosuppression. Study results show the ImmuKnow assay provides a useful biomarker which enables optimising immunosuppression to improve patient outcomes by preventing bacterial and fungal infections, reducing immunosuppressant drug use and improving 1-year patient survival. The use of the ImmuKnow® assay in a hospital’s immunosuppression protocol can therefore increase the success rate in organ transplantation.
ImmuKnow® is FDA cleared for the following intended use: Detection of cell-mediated immune response in populations undergoing immunosuppressive therapy for organ transplant.
To learn more, please visit: www.viracoribt.com/immuknow
Ravaioli M, Neri F, Lazzarotto T, Bertuzzo VR, et al. Immunosuppression Modifications Based on an Immune Response Assay: Results of a Randomized, Controlled Trial. Transplantation. 2015 Aug;99(8):1625- 32.
2 The official Journal of The Transplantation Society, published monthly.
