Advancing the Future of Lyme Disease Diagnostics
Galaxy Diagnostics partners with Dr. Brandon L. Jutras, Ph.D., to translate breakthrough peptidoglycan science into next‑generation diagnostics
A Strategic Academic–Industry Collaboration
This partnership represents a new model for moving transformative Lyme disease science from the lab to patients.
- Galaxy Diagnostics is the first commercialization partner for Dr. Brandon L. Jutras’ peptidoglycan diagnostic technology
- Collaboration between Galaxy Diagnostics and Dr. Brandon L. Jutras, Associate Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Focused on translating cutting-edge microbiology into clinically actionable Lyme disease diagnostics
- Licensed technology originally developed at Virginia Tech
- Shared participation in the LymeX Diagnostics Prize Challenge
Scientific Leadership
Meet Dr. Brandon L. Jutras
- Tenured Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology
- Member, Center for Human Immunobiology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
- Internationally recognized expert in tick‑borne bacterial infections
Credentials
- NIH & Department of Defense–funded researcher
- Publications in PNAS, Nature Microbiology, Science Translational Medicine
- Inventor on multiple diagnostic and therapeutic patents
- Award‑winning mentor and educator
A New Diagnostic Target: Peptidoglycan
Why Borrelia Is Different
- Borrelia burgdorferi has a structurally unique peptidoglycan cell wall
- Unlike other bacteria, fragments can persist in human tissues
- Persistence may drive chronic inflammation, including Lyme arthritis
Breakthrough Discoveries
- Landmark findings showing bacterial peptidoglycan in human samples
- Demonstrated link between cell‑wall fragments and immune activation
- Changed understanding of Lyme disease biology
From Discovery to Diagnostic Test
Why This Test
- Galaxy Diagnostics is the first company to commercialize this novel peptidoglycan antigen technology
- Novel peptidoglycan antigen enables direct detection of Borrelia infection
- Optimized for urine samples, aligning with Galaxy Diagnostics’ platform
- Promising specificity and sensitivity in early studies
Why Urine Matters
- Non-invasive
- Patient-friendly
- Scalable for clinical use
Evidence‑Driven Development
Clinical Validation
Ongoing clinical validation using 100–200 samples
Data Driven
Data derived from the Prosecco study
Peer-Reviewed
Peer‑reviewed publication with clinical validation expected
Advancing Toward FDA Approval
Details
- Selected as finalists in the LymeX Diagnostics Prize Challenge
- Supported by the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Foundation and HHS
- Focused on rigorous clinical validation and FDA submission
Why This Partnership Matters
For Patients
Progress toward more accurate Lyme disease detection
Science‑driven innovation focused on real biological signals
For Providers
Potential future tool to complement existing diagnostic approaches
Grounded in peer‑reviewed research
For the Lyme Community
A bridge between academic discovery and real‑world diagnostics
Model for accelerating innovation in tick‑borne disease
Building the Future of Tick-Borne Diagnostics
Galaxy Diagnostics is the first commercialization partner for Dr. Brandon L. Jutras’ peptidoglycan diagnostic technology
- Galaxy Diagnostics is leading the path from academic breakthrough to real-world diagnostic application
- Ongoing updates as validation, publications, and milestones are reached
- Reinforces Galaxy Diagnostics’ role as an orchestrator and innovation leader in tick-borne disease diagnostics