Oxford BioDynamics, a U.K.-based maker of precision diagnostics, touted progress toward a first-of-its-kind blood test for chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)—also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis—leveraging the company's EpiSwitch 3D genomics platform.
In a study accepted for publication by the Journal of Translational Medicine, the blood test performed with a 96% accuracy (92% sensitivity, 98% specificity) for CFS, the company said in an Oct. 8 press release. The advance could eventually pave the way for the introduction of a definitive and timely diagnostic tool for the condition, according to the company.
The condition, which has lacked a reliable diagnostic test, impacts about 400,000 people in the U.K. and millions globally, the company said. The long-term condition is characterized by "extreme fatigue," Oxford BioDynamics said.
“With this breakthrough, we are proud to enable a first-in-class test that can address an unmet need for a quick and reliable diagnostic for a complex, challenging-to-identify illness,” Alexandre Akoulitchev, Oxford BioDynamics’ chief scientific officer, said in the release.
Now, Oxford BioDynamics said it is looking for a partner to co-develop or license the test.
The advance also lays a foundation for the company to develop a similar test for post-COVID syndrome—also known as long COVID—a condition triggered by exposure to the virus that also shares overlapping symptoms with CFS.
Besides Oxford BioDynamics' work in CFS and potentially long COVID, another one of the company's devices is used to detect prostate cancer in the U.K. and U.S.