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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

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Meet the Scientist

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
Webinars

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
Tick-borne infections
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