Isomark, a medical device manufacturer based in Madison, Wisconsin, plans to enter the market in 2014 with a new type of technology for early sepsis detection. The technology behind the device was originally developed at the University of Madison. The company was founded in 2005 with the hope of bringing this technology to market.

Unfortunately, the company experienced a bumpy start on the path towards commercialization of its early sepsis detection technology. The company was unable to raise significant capital until 2010.

With plans to have a new CEO in place by the end of the year, Isomark is proceeding forward with its commercialization goal. After completing a clinical trial this year, the company aims to have the device on the market by late 2014.

Severe sepsis is a disease that impacts 750,000 people in the United States every year. With a 28.6 percent mortality rate, early detection is often the only effective lifeline for patients. Isomark’s new technology is able to detect sepsis early during the course of an infection by measuring two carbon isotopes that are found in human breath. Traditional sepsis detection systems use temperature, heart rate and blood pressure biometrics.

When an individual is going through the early stages of sepsis, the body uses carbon 13 instead of carbon 12 for its metabolism. By using a specialized spectrometer with infrared lasers to measure carbon isotope concentrations, it’s possible to determine if a patient is going through the early stages of sepsis. By detecting this deadly disease as early as possible, it’s possible to start treatment quickly and improve survival rates.

References

http://medcitynews.com/2012/11/startup-with-device-for-early-sepsis-dete...