CD74 Gene Expression Biomarker for Respiratory Virus Mortality Risk

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods lack effective biomarkers for predicting the risk of death in subjects infected with respiratory viruses like SARS-CoV-2, necessitating the development of alternative markers to guide early treatment and improve survival chances.

Innovation Solution

A method involving the measurement of CD74 gene expression, optionally combined with IL1R2 and/or CD177, in a biological sample to determine the risk of death by comparing expression levels to reference values from infected and recovered subjects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If current methods are used for predicting mortality risk in respiratory virus infections, then no effective prediction is possible, but the lack of biomarkers prevents early intervention

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemortality risk prediction accuracyVSAvoidlack of biomarker information

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces gene expression levels (CD74, IL1R2, CD177) as intermediary biomarkers that mediate between the respiratory virus infection and mortality risk outcome. These gene expression levels serve as measurable indicators that bridge the gap between infection status and prediction of mortality risk, enabling early identification of high-risk patients.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If gene expression measurement methods are developed to predict mortality risk, then early prediction capability is improved, but measurement complexity and resource requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetime for early predictionVSAvoidmeasurement system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and focuses on measuring only three specific gene expression levels (CD74, IL1R2, CD177) from the complex genome, rather than analyzing all genes. This extraction approach simplifies the measurement system by identifying and measuring only the critical biomarkers that are most strongly associated with mortality risk, reducing complexity while maintaining prediction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS20250297314A1Determining the risk of death of a subject infected with a respiratory virus by measuring the expression level of the CD74 gene

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 BIOMERIEUX SA

AI summary

The invention relates to an in vitro or ex vivo method for determining the risk of death in a subject infected with a respiratory virus, for example SARS-CoV-2, comprising a measurement, in a biological sample of said subject, of the level of expression of the CD74 gene; the invention also relates to associated kits.