Earlier Use of Metagenomic (mNGS) Testing Can Reduce Number of Tests Performed and Days to Diagnosis of Meningitis/Encephalitis

Study published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases illustrates potential clinical impact of Delve Detect at both patient and institutional levels

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Delve Bio, a pioneer in metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for infectious diseases, today announced data published in Open Forum Infectious Diseases shows earlier use of comprehensive metagenomic sequencing (mNGS) may significantly lower costs and reduce length of stay for patients with meningitis/encephalitis (M/E).

The study modeled the use of mNGS testing that detects both RNA and DNA pathogens within a 48-hour turnaround time – available only through Delve Detect – compared to conventional clinical workups. The findings suggest that testing with Delve Detect can speed the path to targeted treatment, lowering costs at both the patient and institution levels.

“The cause of as many as half of all cases of meningitis/encephalitis is never identified, and mNGS has emerged as an important tool in the clinical workup of these infections,” said Kiran Thakur, Herbert Irving associate professor of neurology, and director, program in neuroinfectious diseases, Department of Neurology at Columbia University Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital. “This study shows our center could have eliminated hundreds of tests and reduced time to diagnosis for patients with either infectious or autoimmune encephalitis by using comprehensive mNGS testing earlier in the clinical workup. While promising, additional studies are needed to further quantify real-world impact of mNGS testing and develop implementation strategies for healthcare institutions.”

The study was based on two cohorts of patients: one with infectious M/E, the other with autoimmune encephalitis. Outcomes were modeled based on using mNGS early in the workup, after the first lumbar puncture. The results showed that a substantial number of microbiological tests could have been avoided, days to diagnosis shortened, and fewer lumbar puncture procedures performed if mNGS is used earlier in the workup. In the infectious cohort, nearly 64% of the microbiological tests could have been avoided, shortening time to diagnosis by nearly seven days per patient. The reductions were particularly significant in the autoimmune encephalitis cohort, where many microbiological tests are exhausted prior to diagnosis of the non-infectious disease. In that group, analysis showed 92% of tests could have been avoided, saving over 10 days to diagnosis per patient.

“Getting an accurate diagnosis as soon as possible is critical for every patient, whether facing CNS infection or autoimmune disease. Earlier diagnoses are also important at the institutional level, reducing the burden of protracted clinical workups and hospital stays,” said Brad Murray, chief executive officer of Delve Bio. “By comprehensively detecting all pathogens in a sample in an unbiased manner, Delve Detect enables clinicians to isolate the cause of meningitis or encephalitis early, quickly, and completely in just 48 hours. Using this powerful technology earlier in the diagnostic process can not only reduce costs, but also alleviate the burden of disease for patients and clinicians alike.”

Delve Detect is Delve Bio’s flagship metagenomic testing service, providing comprehensive pathogen detection the next day after sample receipt and includes access to Delve’s Clinical Microbial Sequencing Board, an on-call team of infectious disease experts who provide critical results interpretation services.

About Delve Bio, Inc.

Delve Bio is a metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) company that empowers laboratories and clinicians with the insights they need to confidently diagnose routine and rare infectious diseases, thereby minimizing the impact of harmful pathogens on humanity. By leveraging its unbiased, pathogen-agnostic mNGS platform, Delve Bio is able to identify a wide range of pathogens with a single test. Founded by world leaders in genomics and infectious disease Drs. Charles Chiu, Joe DeRisi, Michael Wilson, Pardis Sabeti, and Matthew Meyerson, the company is backed by top institutional investors including Perceptive Xontogeny Venture Fund II, Section 32, and GV, along with leading individual investors. For more information, visit www.delve.bio.