Ann: Proteomics International expands study with US big pharma, page-16

Australian scientists are fast-tracking the development of a COVID-19 blood test to help predict which patients will need an intensive care bed and who will have only mild symptoms.

The triaging tool could be crucial for frontline doctors trying to determine whether their patients will deteriorate within 24 hours or can be sent home to self-isolate, freeing up finite medical resources, as hospitals prepare for a potential deluge of cases.

Dr Ben Tang is adapting his biomarker blood test for influenza to detect COVID-19 patients at high risk of becoming critically ill. CREDIT:JANIE BARRETT

The test that detects a biomarker used to identify high risk flu patients has several hurdles to clear before it’s proven effective for COVID-19. A crowdfunding campaign to support the work comes as researchers across the globe rush out promising but unproven diagnostics and treatments.

Lead researcher Associate Professor Benjamin Tang said he was cautiously hopeful their test would be proven effective for coronavirus because it built on a decade of investigating biomarkers in preparation for such a pandemic

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If only this was PIQ..

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