Glyconics

Glyconics has developed a device that uses Fourier-Transforming infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for the analysis of sputum in patients with COPD, a condition for which accurate diagnosis is extremely difficult. The device can identify characteristic patterns of glycosylation in mucins in the sample, which allows a firm diagnosis of COPD to be made and to be differentiated from other forms of chronic lung disease. Furthermore, this pattern has been observed to change in the presence of an acute exacerbation, offering the opportunity to diagnose an incipient deterioration prior to it becoming clinically apparent.