TORONTO, Nov. 7 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ - Spectral Diagnostics Inc. today announced its role as a major partner in the International Sepsis Forum (ISF) Biomarker Conference recently held in Toronto, Canada. The main goal of the conference was to draft consensus recommendations for the inclusion of certain biomarkers into mainstream clinical practice in patients with sepsis. Biomarkers have proven to be very useful in clinical situations such as heart attack and congestive heart failure. This conference is the first to focus on sepsis biomarkers and incorporating them into clinical practice.
Dr. Paul Walker, MD, CEO of Spectral stated, "It has been a great honor to take a significant role at this meeting. The ISF recommendations will help shape the future of sepsis diagnosis and treatment. The measurement of endotoxin continues to be a leading candidate to be widely adopted into clinical practice for patients with suspected sepsis. The importance of endotoxin measurement continues to grow as more clinicians recognize the added value of measuring endotoxin in critically ill patients and with the emergence of major pharmaceutical trials directly targeting endotoxin in the bloodstream." Spectral's Endotoxin Activity Assay (EAA(TM)) provides physicians the ability to rapidly and accurately determine endotoxin levels in a critically ill patient.
The International Sepsis Forum (ISF) seeks to improve the understanding and clinical management of patients with severe sepsis through workshops, lectures, debates, practice guidelines, and training programs for professionals worldwide. The ISF is a partnership of leading global experts and industry partners in the sepsis area. Severe sepsis is one of the most significant challenges in critical care. Each year, more than 750,000 people in the U.S. will develop severe sepsis, and more than 215,000 will die from the condition. Treating patients with severe sepsis costs U.S. hospitals nearly $17 billion a year.
"This ISF conference reaffirms the value of Spectral's EAA(TM) program. Spectral's strategy of continuing clinical promotion with the most important thought leaders and academic centers in critical care, together with ongoing studies aimed at expanding the EAA(TM) into other critical disease areas such as renal failure, burns, trauma, and transplantation, continues to progress well" added Debra Foster, Clinical Director of Spectral's Sepsis Program.
Spectral is a developer of innovative technologies for comprehensive disease management. Spectral provides accurate and timely information to clinicians enabling the early initiation of appropriate and targeted therapy. Current products are rapid format tests measuring markers of myocardial infarction (Cardiac STATus test). New products include rapid diagnostics for sepsis (the Endotoxin Activity Assay). Spectral manufactures the EAA(TM) and Cardiac STATus. Spectral's common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange: SDI.
This press release contains certain forward-looking statements and information based on beliefs of the Company's senior management as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to it. Such statements reflect the current views of the Company with respect to future events and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties. Actual results, events, and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof.
Spectral Diagnostics Inc.CONTACT: At: Spectral Diagnostics Inc., Dr. Paul Walker, Chief ExecutiveOfficer, (416) 626-3233
