Karius Test Named “Infectious Disease Testing Solution of the Year” at Inaugural 2021 BioTech Breakthrough Awards
Annual Awards Program Recognizes Innovation in the Global Life Sciences and Biotechnology Industry
LOS ANGELES, October 27, 2021 – Karius, the world leader in liquid biopsy for infectious diseases, has been selected as the winner of the “Infectious Disease Testing Solution of the Year” award, for its ground-breaking diagnostic technology, the Karius TestTM, at the inaugural BioTech Breakthrough Awards. The awards program was initiated this year by BioTech Breakthrough, a leading independent market intelligence organization that evaluates and recognizes standout life sciences and biotechnology companies, products, and services around the globe, with the aim of performing the most comprehensive evaluation of life sciences and biotechnology tools, services and companies today.
The BioTech Breakthrough Awards honors excellence and recognizes the creativity, hard work, and success of companies, technologies, and products in the life sciences and biotechnology industry. This year’s program attracted more than 1,200 nominations from over 12 different countries throughout the world. The Karius Test was chosen as a breakthrough innovation in the field of infectious diseases. The test has the ability to non-invasively identify more than 1,000 clinically relevant pathogens from a simple blood draw, within a single day of receipt. No other commercially available test is capable of this type or breadth of detection for infectious diseases.
“We are profoundly grateful for this award from BioTech Breakthrough. To be one of their first winners is a true honor. We will continue to advance diagnostic science and technology in the fight against infectious diseases,” said Alec Ford, CEO of Karius. “With the Karius Test, physicians have a new and important tool to help reduce the typical trial-and-error method of diagnostic testing for infectious diseases. For the most vulnerable patients, getting the right diagnosis in a timely manner can sometimes be the difference between life and death.”
The Karius Test is designed to be fast, accurate, and non-invasive. The test only requires 5 mL of blood to detect the pathogen(s) likely causing an infection because it’s based on microbial cell-free DNA (mcfDNA). Even when an infection is localized deep in the body, mcfDNA can be detected in the blood. Karius leverages the latest in genomics and AI to make sense of massive amounts of DNA data, teasing out specific microbial signatures tied to an infection. The result is a clear, accurate picture of the likely pathogen causing an infection.
“One of the most common and deadly medical complications is an infection on top of an existing condition. Approximately 60% of cancer deaths are due to infections. Invasive tests and blood cultures can take weeks for results. Some physicians rely on empirical treatment, which is contributing to the rise of superbugs,” said Bryan Vaughn, Managing Director of BioTech Breakthrough Awards. “Using the Karius Test has the potential to both improve patient outcomes and lessen the strain on clinicians pursuing an accurate diagnosis. Karius is helping clinicians save lives, using a unique combination of genomics and AI. Congratulations on this ingenious innovation and for being the winner of our ‘Infectious Disease Testing Solution of the Year’ award.”
About Karius
Karius is a life sciences company focused on generating genomic insights for infectious diseases with a non-invasive blood test that helps clinicians make rapid treatment decisions. By mapping each patient’s microbial landscape from a single blood draw, Karius moves closer to a vision of a world where infectious disease is no longer a major threat to human health.
About BioTech Breakthrough
Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the BioTech Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in life science and biotechnology solutions, services, and companies. The BioTech Breakthrough Awards provide public recognition for the achievements of biotechnology companies and products in categories including BioPharma, Genomics, Therapeutics, Food Science and BioAgriculture, and more. For more information visit BioTechBreakthroughawards.com
