PORTLAND, Ore., and MUMBAI, India, May 8, 2022,  Hemex Health, a health-tech startup based in Portland, Oregon, has announced a significant enhancement to their GazelleTM Hb Variant test, which allows for more precise measurements of Hb F, also known as fetal hemoglobin. The improved accuracy could be useful for monitoring hydroxyurea therapy in point-of-care settings. 

The software update comes only months after the business announced that its Hb Variant test can now detect beta-thalassemia illness and trait in addition to sickle cell disease (SCD) and trait.

In a clinical study conducted at the pediatric SCD Clinic of Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra, Ghana, Gazelle’s Hb F quantification results were within 4.5% of HPLC Hb F results (the gold standard) with a 95% confidence range. The results of this study will be presented at an international conference this June and will also be published in a peer-reviewed journal later this year.

Since the 1980s, hydroxyurea has been used to treat adult sickle cell disease patients, and the US Food and Drug Administration has licensed it for use in children. The medicine has been demonstrated to enhance Hb F production in patients, resulting in fewer pain crises and hospital admissions, according to the National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine publication. In India, Africa, and the Middle East, hydroxyurea is becoming more popular. "Tracking variations in Hb F levels over time is part of the monitoring strategy for patients on hydroxyurea," said Dr. Catherine Segbefia of Ghana's Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.   

"Having this capacity at the time of treatment with Gazelle's Hb Variant test will increase access to this therapy, especially for those living in rural areas," the business claims.