VolitionRx Limited (NYSE American: VNRX) announced the filing of a strategic patent application covering the use of its proprietary Nu.Q technology for triaging and monitoring patients suspected of having contracted the Ebola virus. The application builds on the company’s existing Nu.Q NETs test, which measures circulating nucleosomes and neutrophil extracellular traps as early indicators of hyper-inflammation associated with septic shock and mortality.
According to the company, its CE-Marked automated Nu.Q NETs assay and recently developed finger-prick lateral flow detection prototype could provide a low-cost bedside triage solution during Ebola outbreaks, particularly in resource-constrained regions. The ability to quickly identify and monitor patients with Ebola is critical to controlling outbreaks, and Volition’s test could help prioritize care and resources where they are most needed.
Volition is seeking partnerships with global health organizations, pharmaceutical developers, NGOs and distribution partners to support field trials, manufacturing scale-up and potential deployment in outbreak zones. The company’s move into infectious disease triage represents an expansion beyond its core focus on cancer diagnostics, leveraging its expertise in epigenetics and NETosis.
The implications of this development are significant. Ebola outbreaks often overwhelm fragile healthcare systems in sub-Saharan Africa, where access to laboratory infrastructure is limited. A simple, rapid, and affordable test that can be used at the bedside could dramatically improve outbreak management by enabling earlier isolation of infected individuals and more efficient use of treatment centers. Moreover, the test’s ability to monitor disease progression could help clinicians identify patients at risk of deterioration, potentially reducing mortality.
Volition’s Nu.Q technology has already been validated in sepsis, where hyper-inflammation plays a key role, and the company is now adapting it for viral hemorrhagic fevers like Ebola. The patent application signals the company’s intent to protect its intellectual property in this space and pursue commercial opportunities with global health partners.
For more information, visit the company’s website at https://volition.com/.
