We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Portable Point-of-Care (POC) Device to Monitor Blood Ammonia in Liver Disease Patients

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 15 Apr 2022

Increased blood ammonia levels are a common sign of chronic and acute liver diseases and lead to hepatic encephalopathy (HE), which is a serious neurologic condition caused when toxins, including ammonia, that are normally cleared by the liver accumulate in the blood, eventually affecting the brain. More...

Elevated ammonia concentration in the serum and central nervous system (hyperammonemia) is the mainstay for the pathogenesis and treatment of HE. Now, a portable point-of-care (POC) device for blood ammonia monitoring could help meet these challenges.

Versantis AG (Zurich, Switzerland) is developing a prototype POC device named TS-01 based on the polymersome-based ammonia quantification method. TS-01 is a unique point-of-care diagnostic device for at-home measurement of ammonia in blood, the primary cause of HE. The TS-01 assay exclusively licensed by Versantis is based on transmembrane pH-gradient polymersomes that encapsulate a pH-sensitive ratiometric fluorophore. By measuring this fluorescence signal, the ammonia concentration in the sample can be determined. TS-01 has been shown to be accurate across a wider physiological and pathological ammonia concentration range than today’s existing instrumentation and is negligibly impacted by endogenous interferences.

“There is a great unmet medical need for an accurate and user-friendly device to monitor the levels of ammonia in patients with liver disease,” said Dr. Vincent Forster, CSO and co-Founder of Versantis. “Hyperammonemia and its associated neurological manifestations, such as hepatic encephalopathy, affects 30-45% of cirrhotic patients and can lead to coma and death. We believe using a novel portable point-of-care device will allow daily monitoring of ammonia, thereby significantly reducing hospitalizations and fatal outcomes for patients, while also saving time, effort, and expense of health care professionals, supporting caregivers, and family members.”

Related Links:
Versantis AG 


Gold Member
Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile pHOx
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
New
Gram-Negative Blood Culture Assay
LIAISON PLEX Gram-Negative Blood Culture Assay
New
Gold Member
Collection and Transport System
PurSafe Plus®
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Immunology

view channel
Image: The test could streamline clinical decision-making by identifying ideal candidates for immunotherapy upfront (Xiao, Y. et al. Cancer Biology & Medicine July 2025, 20250038)

Blood Test Predicts Immunotherapy Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking targeted therapies, making immunotherapy a promising yet unpredictable option. Current biomarkers such as PD-L1 expression or tumor... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: The sensor can help diagnose diabetes and prediabetes on-site in a few minutes using just a breath sample (Photo courtesy of Larry Cheng/Penn State)

Graphene-Based Sensor Uses Breath Sample to Identify Diabetes and Prediabetes in Minutes

About 37 million U.S. adults live with diabetes, and one in five is unaware of their condition. Diagnosing diabetes often requires blood draws or lab visits, which are costly and inconvenient.... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.