In March 2024, the results of a new study were published in Journal of Clinical Microbiology highlighting the benefits of the T2Resistance Panel compared to blood culture and standard microbiology methods, including high accuracy (i.e., 94.7% sensitivity, 97.4% specificity), rapid turnaround time (i.e., results available is 4.4 hours vs. 58.3 hours), and clinical impact (i.e., clinical interventions in 41% of patients in the study, or 24 of 59 patients).
Pediatric Sepsis
According to the Children’s Hospital Association, sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitalized children, more than cancer. To address the threat of pediatric sepsis, the Company is pursuing pediatric claims for its T2Candida® Panel and T2Bacteria® Panel, the only FDA-cleared products able to detect sepsis-causing fungal and bacterial pathogens direct-from-blood, in just 3-5 hours, without the need to wait days for a positive blood culture.
According to the Journal of Fungi, a peer-reviewed scientific journal that provides an advanced forum for studies related to pathogenic fungi, Candida species are a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in hospitalized children. Additionally, children with invasive candidiasis present a significant burden to the U.S. healthcare system, with a mean increased hospital length of stay of 21 days and approximately $92,000 in excess hospital costs. A Journal of Clinical Microbiology (2022) study conducted at the Bambino Gesù hospital in Rome, Italy found that pediatric patients suspected of fungal bloodstream infections that were tested with the T2Candida Panel received species identification results 121.8 hours faster compared to blood culture.
Lyme Disease
According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the leading vector-borne disease in the U.S., with an estimated 3.4 million tests performed each year at a cost of nearly $500 million. The current diagnostic process is a two-tiered antibody test algorithm that relies on the presence of antibodies, and which is only accurate four to eight weeks after infection. During those weeks, the bacteria may spread throughout the body and become much harder to eradicate and treat effectively, and may lead to chronic, debilitating disease.
To address this critical unmet need, the Company has developed the T2Lyme Panel, a direct-from-blood molecular diagnostic test for the early detection of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease in the United States. Early detection and appropriate treatment are essential, as untreated Borrelia burgdorferi infections may spread throughout the body and lead to chronic, debilitating Lyme disease. The T2Lyme Panel has been designed to be a highly sensitive detection of an infection and is expected to detect Lyme disease within the first 30 days post infection, compared to antibody tests that can take 30-60 days post infection.
Candida auris
According to the World Health Organization, Candida auris is a multidrug-resistant pathogen labeled as a growing threat to public health. A 2023 Wall Street Journal report described Candida auris as a “deadly fungus spreading across the U.S., mostly in healthcare facilities,” with a mortality rate of up to 60%. According to the CDC, Candida auris is difficult to identify with standard laboratory methods, which can lead to inappropriate treatment, and some strains are resistant to all three available classes of antifungal therapies.
To address this global threat, the Company intends to expand its direct-from-blood T2Candida Panel to include the detection of Candida auris. The FDA-cleared T2Candida Panel currently covers approximately 90% of Candida species commonly found in bloodstream infections. The addition of Candida auris should provide important coverage for infections caused by this pathogen which are becoming increasingly more prevalent.
Forward-Looking Statements
This Current Report on Form 8-K (“Current Report”) contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this Current Report that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, statements regarding the likelihood that the Company will submit a 510(k) premarket notification for the T2Resistance Panel to the FDA during the fourth quarter of 2024; the likelihood that the Company will be successful in receiving approval and commercializing the T2Resistance Panel, T2Lyme Panel and expanding the T2Candida Panel for the detection of pediatric sepsis and Candida auris; the likelihood that the T2Lyme Panel will be able to detect Borrelia burgdorferi in the first 30 days following infection; the likelihood that the Company will successful in building or buying its own laboratory for the testing of the T2Lyme Panel; the ability for the Company to launch multiple new products in 2024 and 2025; the likelihood that all four of our pipeline products will allow