Rhode Island Hospital at Brown University Health, Rhode Island, USA
https://www.brownhealth.org 

Rhode Island Hospital is developing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach informed by RNA sequencing to detect bacterial pneumonia directly from whole blood. The test to detect pneumonias caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Haemophilus influenzae aims to be done on whole blood drawn directly from the patient, making it less invasive than other methods that obtain samples from the airways, such as bronchoscopy or deep suctioning. A simple, needle-stick blood collection from the arm would significantly expand access and simplify current testing methods for lower-respiratory-tract infections (LRTIs), allowing testing to take place at primary care centers globally versus tertiary care settings.

The test will not require the specimen to be cultured, allowing for faster results – within four hours – as compared to traditional microbiological methods. Targeting RNA also ensures that the infection is current since RNA is less stable than DNA, lasting minutes to hours when from a bacterium. The method, however, immediately stabilizes the RNA for testing. RNA also identifies bacteria that are actively making resistance proteins, rather than bacteria with the potential for resistance based only on genomic DNA.

Current Development Stage: Feasibility

CARB-X Investment: US$1M

Initial CARB-X Investment Date: January 28, 2025