Original from MDDI Online
Michigain residents will have an opportunity to find out how strong their immune response is to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Aditxt, a Richmond, VA-based biotech company, has partnered with Great Lakes Medical Laboratory (GLML) to offer the AditxtScore for COVID-19 throughout Michigan. According to the company, the test is able to assess the strength of an individual's immune response to the virus.
The test is not cleared or authorized by FDA, but is available for use as a CLIA-validated laboratory developed test. Aditxt said its immune response test is designed to track multiple cobinations of antibody and neutralizing antibody responses against several different antigens, making it possible to assess the strength of an individual's immune response to the virus.
GLML will make the AditxtScore for COVID-19 available throughout its six physical locations and mobile units in select areas in Michigan. The initiative is part of Aditxt¡¯s ongoing effort to expand its immune monitoring network nationwide, the company said.
¡°We were drawn to Aditxt initially because it has the most comprehensive COVID-19 immune testing solution available, allowing us to give people certainty about their individual immune response to COVID-19,¡± said Elizabeth Knisely, CEO of GLML. ¡°What I did not expect was that after receiving an AditxtScore myself I would find that I have had low immune response, despite being vaccinated. With so much uncertainty out there right now around a surge in breakthrough cases, we need to take the guesswork out of the equation, especially for patients who are vulnerable and immunocompromised.¡±
Aditxt said the AditxtScore also includes the ability to measure neutralizing antibodies, the subset of virus-specific antibodies that block infection by interfering with cell entry of virus particles.
¡°While we have seen relatively strong vaccine uptake in Michigan, just under half of our population is still not vaccinated, and vaccine hesitancy remains a significant challenge in our rural and urban areas,¡± said Samar Nasry, MD, internal medicine specialist and director of the Medical Care1 Urgent Care, Michigan. ¡°A lot of the hesitancy we¡¯re seeing is driven by misinformation, potential infection post vaccination, and uncertainty about individual risk. The wide availability of the AditxtScore for COVID-19 will help us address those challenges by giving people the hard facts about their immune status, helping them to make informed decisions about immunization.¡±
This information is particularly important for the millions of immunocompromised patients who may not develop an adequate immune response to vaccination or exposure for multiple reasons, including: immunosuppressive disease, immunosuppressant medications, anti-cancer medications affecting immune function, or the presence of long-term chronic disease that has exhausted the body¡¯s natural immune response capacity.
¡°We¡¯re thrilled to be working with GLML to bring our AditxtScore for COVID-19 to the state of Michigan,¡± said Amro Albanna, co-founder and CEO of Aditxt. ¡°Everyone¡¯s immune response is unique to that individual, so it¡¯s critical to have evaluate each individual¡¯s immune response in order to effectively address this pandemic. Our AditxtScore for COVID-19 delivers that personalized approach with the accessibility and efficiency needed to scale.¡±
