Point-of-Care in the spotlight at Cardiac Markers Dialogue Meeting
Prolight Diagnostics recently participated at the 2024 Cardiac Markers Dialogue Meeting in Glasgow, UK. This meeting brought together leading researchers and healthcare professionals specializing in cardiology and cardiac biomarker-based diagnostics.
“We showcased our innovative point-of-care platform, Psyros, to aid rapid diagnosis of myocardial infarction, while engaging in discussions on the latest advancements in the field”, said Prolight’s CSO, Dr. Aileen McGettrick.
The Cardiac Marker Dialogues Meeting is a key platform for engaging and educating clinical scientists, biomedical professionals, clinicians, and the diagnostics industry in this ever-evolving field. Building on the success of the five previous meetings (starting in 2010), the 2024 event marked the 6th Cardiac Markers Dialogue Meeting, held on September 26th and 27th in Glasgow.
The meeting served as a global gathering for Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in cardiology and cardiac biomarkers, offering Prolight Diagnostics a valuable opportunity to engage directly with leading cardiologists, emergency medicine specialists and researchers. The meeting featured keynote speakers, panel discussions, and workshops focused on the best practice for using cardiac markers in clinical practice.
Prolight’s POC system for rapid and accurate diagnosis
Multiple sessions within the meeting focussed on point-of-care (POC) diagnostics, specifically near-patient testing conducted at or near the site of patient care, such as in emergency departments. This approach allows for more immediate diagnostic results, facilitating faster clinical decision-making and ultimately improved patient outcomes.
The meeting highlighted the benefits of single-sample rule-out of myocardial infarction using a defined lower limit cut off for the cardiac biomarker troponin. Excellent sensitivity and precision is required for safe and accurate use of single sample rule out and this is exactly what Prolight Diagnostics plans to deliver.
Prolight’s Psyros POC system is designed to assist healthcare providers in rapidly ruling in or ruling out heart attacks, enabling early intervention and potentially saving lives. The ability to rapidly-rule out MI is beneficial to both patients and payers.
The company’s digital POC technology is highly sensitive, using single-molecule counting, allowing it to detect extremely low troponin concentrations. This sensitivity ensures rapid, accurate diagnosis, and supports timely medical decisions.
CSO insights from the event
Prolight Diagnostics was one of the sponsors of the Cardiac Marker Dialogues Meeting, alongside other industry-leading company’s. Prolight Diagnostics was well-represented by key team members, including two of its founders – Aileen McGettrick (CSO) and Steve Ross (CTO) – and one of the company’s researchers, Toby Greenfield.
BioStock contacted Aileen to gather her insights on the event and the valuable discussions that took place.
POC diagnostics was a key theme at the Cardiac Markers Dialogue Meeting. In your opinion, how will POC technology like Psyros shape the future of early detection of cardiac events and accelerate diagnostic pathways?
– The field has been waiting for good POC systems for a long time and the vast majority of KOLs are strong advocates for the use of POC systems to measure cardiac biomarkers, particularly troponin. Having lab quality test results available for the clinician to action quickly will help with two things. Firstly, the safe early rule out of low risk patients using the single sample rule-out cut off. And secondly the implementation of rapid diagnostic protocols where serial measurements are taken a few hours apart and the change (or lack of change) between the results aids the diagnosis of myocardial infarction.
– Additionally, one of the speakers demonstrated that the ability to discharge patients more rapidly from Emergency Departments significantly reduces all-cause mortality for all patients.
What feedback did you receive regarding Psyros from healthcare professionals and researchers at the Cardiac Markers Dialogue Meeting?
– People often comment that they like our unique technology because of its simplicity. The absence of liquid reagents onboard the cartridge and the ability to measure low levels of troponin in a small volume (15uL) of whole blood with no red cell separation is unique to the Psyros high sensitivity POC assay. The modern design, the easy to read screen and the LED device status indicator bar are other features that were complimented.
How important is feedback and collaboration with Key Opinion Leader for successful integration of Psyros in clinical practice?
– When the time is right, working with KOLs and getting them to perform an independent assessment of the Psyros platform will be essential for future success. We have been working with our Clinical Advisory Board during development of the platform to ensure it has appropriate features for the first intended use setting in the emergency room.
Could you elaborate on the specific advantages of the Psyros platform compared to traditional laboratory tools for troponin measurement?
– The Psyros platform has a much faster turnaround time than central laboratory systems. Troponin measurements will be available in less than 10 minutes compared to approximately 60 minutes or more from the lab. Faster lab-equivalent results, available at the point of use in the emergency room, will allow clinicians to improve care pathways to make more efficient use of limited resource and speed up time to diagnosis. The rapid availability of our results is also beneficial to patients. It ensures patients needing care are more rapidly assessed and provides quick reassurance for the majority of patients who are MI-negative.
– Taking troponin measurement outside the hospital environment is one big advantage for POC systems. Use in remote settings has many benefits.
– The Psyros system is small and portable, perfectly suited for paramedics to transport on an ambulance and use in the patient home. This would be an excellent future application for the Psyros platform.
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