Research
Sangui Bio discoveries in blood analysis open up deep novel understandings about fundamental inflammatory and immune regulatory functions that have potential applications across biomarker discovery, diagnostics, and therapeutic targets for most diseases including cancer, cardiac, metabolic, degenerative, autoimmune, and infection.
Sangui Bio has developed technologies and methods that go beyond conventional venous blood analyses. These methods enable ~4000 proteins to be quantified from a single 30 µL dried blood sample. Longitudinal datasets are obtained using frequent at-home patient-centric micro-sampling with, as required, supplemental in-clinic venous collections.
Our venous blood analysis revolves around looking at the cellular component of blood (including PBMCs and RBCs) in addition to plasma/serum. In our research we discovered that the cellular component, when fractionated, can reveal biomarkers that would otherwise be missed.
In a 2014 Sangui Bio study, RBCs were identified as a major reservoir of more than 50 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. For most of these cytokines, RBCs are the dominant blood reservoir, ranging from 3 - 2445x the plasma concentration. We have since expanded our investigation to include other cellular components as well, such as PBMCs.
Patient stratification using hybrid studies
Longitudinal sampling using patient-centric at-home microsampling forms the backbone of the biomarker platform. Sangui Bio uses a study-specific version of the modular collection schedule for most clinical studies. The blood sampling schedule and the analyses conducted are tailored to the specific requirements of the clinical research being conducted.
A key component is often the timing of patient visits, where conventional venous blood samples can be obtained. When patients are in-clinic they are shown how to collect dried blood samples and provided with kits and pre-paid postage packs to enable at-home sampling. The blood biomarker component is supplemented with lifestyle and clinical data whenever possible to enable improved patient stratification.
The Sangui Bio stratification platform has four key components:
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Microsampling
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Liquid blood and RBC fractionation
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Strong clinical network
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Longitudinal lifestyle data
RBC immunology
The RBC signalling mechanism responds to stimuli from a variety of cells, including regenerative cells such as stem cells, and inflammatory cells such as cancer cells. Sangui Bio has IP on the manipulation of RBC function to enable the modulation of immune function. Functionally primed RBCs could be used as therapeutics or as adjuncts to conventional therapy for conditions such as cancer, autoimmune disease, and inflammatory conditions. A key part of our research is now focused on understanding how diseases such as cancer can interfere with this signalling system and alter the immune response.