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A TEAM of scientists here has found a new way to treat sepsis, or blood poisoning, which often kills patients with severe infections.
The condition affects some 20 million people worldwide each year, and accounts for a large proportion of intensive care unit (ICU) admissions. Of those with severe illness who go into septic shock, up to half die.
To treat sepsis, doctors have typically dosed patients with antibiotics – a treatment which has not changed much for decades. Now, scientists here
have shown that blocking a molecule involved in septic shock can improve survival rates in mice.
The molecule, called SphK1, is involved in pushing the immune system into overdrive in response to an infection. This triggers the body-wide inflammation in sepsis, which can result in shock, organ failure and death.
National University of Singapore (NUS) physiology professor Alirio Melendez and his team showed that immune cells from patients with sepsis had elevated levels of the SphK1 molecule.
By giving mice a drug that blocks SphK1, the team quelled the immune system’s overreaction, preventing multiple-organ failure and death.
The drug worked best when paired with antibiotics, cutting inflammation so the immune system could better fight off bacteria while the antibiotics did their work.
The research was published in last week’s issue of the highly regarded journal Science.
Commenting on the research, Dr Vinay Tergaonkar of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research’s Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology said: “Research in the past three decades has failed to uncover new and better treatments for sepsis.”
Dr Tergaonkar, who was not involved in the NUS research, described the drug that blocks SphK1 as “a very promising lead”, as it does not seem to have overt side effects.
But Dr Vijo Poulouse, director of the medical ICU at Changi General Hospital, said previous “breakthroughs” for treating sepsis have often failed, and the drug to block SphK1 still needs to be tested in larger animals and humans.
The team has filed for a patent for the drug, which it will study in larger animals before conducting human clinical trials. Large-animal studies are expected to take up to 11/2 years, while the subsequent human trials could take up to three years.
If all goes well, Professor Melendez said, in about six years, they could be applying for approval to market the drug. He added that the treatment would also slash patients’ costs and time spent in intensive care.
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