Bruker Launches NMR-based Molecular Phenomics Clinical Research Tool for ‘Long COVID’ Multi-Organ Risk Assessment

Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR) today has launched PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO, a research-use-only NMR test for molecular phenomics research on ‘Long COVID’ patients’ blood samples, using a multiplexed combination of biomarkers discovered at the Australian National Phenome Center (ANPC) at Murdoch University, under Director Jeremy Nicholson. The PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO test is promising for research on early-stage risk factors, on longitudinal recovery monitoring and on potential secondary organ damage in cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, kidney dysfunction and inflammation. It consists of an Avance™ IVDr NMR spectroscopy system that is testing several biological mechanisms of action simultaneously in a 20-minute blood-test from SARS-CoV-2 acute infection survivors who suffer long-term sequelae, termed either Post-Acute COVID Syndrome (PACS), or commonly known as ‘Long COVID’ syndrome.

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ANPC Molecular Phenomics NMR Lab (Photo: Business Wire)

Recent publications have demonstrated that NMR is playing a pivotal role in measuring COVID-19 progression based on phenomic molecular signatures, and it is also providing new insights into various PACS mechanisms of action, as well as into Long COVID clinical management and treatment options. The PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO test characterizes metabolic and proteomic biomarkers of SARS-CoV-2 pathobiology, even in asymptomatic acute COVID cases, thereby enabling multi-organ risk assessment, recovery and therapeutic research in multiple Long COVID dysfunctions.

This new NMR test has the potential to quantitatively discriminate PACS patients from healthy or fully recovered individuals by studying COVID-triggered pheno-conversion, defined as transient or persistent systemic change of the molecular signatures in human plasma samples after acute infection. Subsequent pheno-reversion of metabolic signatures detected by PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO may indicate PACS recovery.

In addition to metabolism analytes, PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO quantifies composite signals for groups of glycoproteins and phospholipids, which can indicate inflammation and cardiovascular disease risk, as well as a new NMR biomarker called Supramolecular Phospholipid Composite (SPC). These markers show excellent discrimination of COVID-19 from controls, while the Glyc/SPC ratio has been proposed as a useful molecular marker for Long COVID, which could significantly augment current clinical and therapeutic research.

Dr. Oscar Millet, leader of the Precision Medicine and Metabolism group at CIC bioGUNE in Bilbao, Spain, commented: “PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO is an automated, easy to use and standardized approach to investigate the complex metabolomic signatures induced by SARS-CoV-2. It enables clinical research on the screening and monitoring of long-term sequelae after acute COVID-19, in patients with Long COVID syndrome, and even in asymptomatic subjects – a breakthrough in understanding PACS.”

Dr. Iris Mangelschots, President of Bruker BioSpin’s Applied, Industrial and Clinical Division, commented: “We are very excited to provide this multi-organ PACS risk screen to the clinical and pharmaceutical research community, after the preliminary validation by our partners in the International COVID-19 Research Network. We believe that PhenoRisk PACS™ RuO could make a significant contribution in research to combat the effects of Long COVID.”

PhenoRisk PACS1.0™ RuO expands Bruker’s offering for clinical research based on the company’s Avance™ IVDr NMR platform, which already provides lipoprotein profiles (B.I.LISA) and quantification of small molecules in plasma and urine (B.I.QuantPS2.0, B.I.QuantUR1.1).

About Bruker Corporation (Nasdaq: BRKR)

Bruker is enabling scientists to make breakthrough discoveries and develop new applications that improve the quality of human life. Bruker’s high performance scientific instruments and high value analytical and diagnostic solutions enable scientists to explore life and materials at molecular, cellular and microscopic levels. In close cooperation with our customers, Bruker is enabling innovation, improved productivity and customer success in life science molecular and cell biology research, in applied and pharma applications, in microscopy and nanoanalysis, as well as in industrial applications. Bruker offers differentiated, high-value life science and diagnostics systems and solutions in preclinical imaging, clinical phenomics research, proteomics and multiomics, spatial and single-cell biology, functional structural and condensate biology, as well as in clinical microbiology and molecular diagnostics. For more information, please visit: www.bruker.com.

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