Predictive biomarkers for preterm birth

This technology identifies biomarkers that can be used to predict future preterm birth early in the course of pregnancy.

Unmet Need: Accurate and sensitive predictors of preterm birth

Current methods to identify pregnant women at risk for preterm birth rely on cervical length measurements via transvaginal ultrasound examination. Although shortened cervical length successfully predicts preterm birth in a small subset of women, its use as a standalone marker can lead to spurious associations, as it does not account for natural variation in basal cervical length across the population and does not capture a majority of cases of preterm birth.

The Technology: Multivariate biomarker-based prediction algorithm for preterm birth

This technology identifies biomarkers linked to risk of preterm birth and uses a prediction algorithm to identify high-risk pregnancies as early as 16-20 weeks of gestation. The algorithm incorporates microbiome composition and metabolic data and can perform feature selection using univariate statistics, shapely analysis, and information-gain-based methods. Importantly, the biomarkers identified through this technology may serve as both prognostic and therapeutic candidates for preterm birth.

Applications:

• Predictors of preterm birth
• Point-of-care test development
• Identification of therapeutic targets for preterm birth prevention

Advantages:

• Independent of patient history and physiology
• High throughput
• Early detection

Lead Inventor:

Tal Korem, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU21172

• Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez