Bioflux system used in key studies to identify causes and treatments of blood clots related to Covid-19
Potential treatments identified that may offer improved outcomes in COVID-19 patients with increased thrombus formation
10 Jun 2022Fluxion Biosciences announced two recent publications on COVID-19 and its ability to lead to high levels of platelet coagulation and an increased risk of thrombosis. The first study, published by a team at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was published in May 2021 as a preprint in bioRxiv, and is titled 'Signaling through FcgRIIA and the C5a-C5aR pathway mediates platelet hyperactivation in COVID-19'. The second publication, published by a team at the University Hospital of Tuebingen in Blood Advances on January 10, 2022, is titled “Upregulation of cAMP prevents antibody-mediated thrombus formation in COVID-19”.
Although predominantly a respiratory disease, COVID-19 has been shown to cause a range of responses, including adverse effects on the cardiovascular system. Some patients have an inflammatory response that may trigger thrombosis, and there is a high incidence for those with severe illness.
In the first paper, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania identified key mediators of inflammation and cardiovascular disease in COVID-19 patients that correlated positively with platelet activation in the BioFlux system. The Syk inhibitor fostamatinib reversed platelet hyperactivity in BioFlux experiments. The researchers concluded that this represents a distinct, targetable signaling pathway to modulate this effect.
The second paper, by researchers at the University of Tuebingen, demonstrated that reduced cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) levels in platelets increased antibody-induced platelet coagulation and thrombus formation. These effects were inhibited by iloprost, a clinically approved therapeutic agent that increases intracellular cAMP levels in platelets.
Both papers relied on the BioFlux system to assess platelet function in COVID-19 patients. The BioFlux system acts as an ‘artery on a chip’ that precisely controls the cell micro-environment and provides real-time, high-resolution images of thrombus formation. Used in more than 500 labs globally, the BioFlux system is available in a variety of configurations to meet the application requirements of any laboratory. Systems are available with a range of capabilities and throughputs for applications in basic research, drug discovery, and diagnostic development.