Breakthrough on killer infection

Sepsis is a deadly form of blood poisoning which triggers a meltdown of the immune system.

It is estimated to kill 1,400 people world-wide each day, and is the leading cause of death in non-coronary intensive care units.

However, the condition can be difficult to diagnose as it can presents a wide range of symptoms, ranging from fever and inflammation to abnormal blood clotting and organ failure.

The condition, which is caused by bacteria entering a wound or body tissue, is often spread in hospitals as people with weakened immune systems are particularly at risk.

Until now there has been no way of treating sepsis other than to give patients antibiotics to try to minimise the severity of their symptoms.

But a study, published on the website of the in the New England Medical Journal, shows that a new drug, Zovant can help to save lives.

In clinical trials, the drug, developed by the pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly, cut the risk of death among people with severe sepsis by nearly 20%.

August Watanabe, of Eli Lilly, said: "The data suggests that one in five people who would have died from severe sepsis survived due to Zovant.

"We are extremely encouraged by Zovant's potential to help so many who might otherwise succumb to the ravages of sepsis."

Natural protein

Zovant is an artificially created version of a naturally occurring protein called Activated Protein C.

It appears to be able to control the inflammation and clotting in the blood vessels associated with severe sepsis.

Trials of the drug, which involved 1,690 patients from 11 countries, were so promising that they were stopped early.

The patients who were given the drug had an average age of 60.5 years. More than half had malfunctioning lungs.

The drug was administered as a continuous infusion over a 96 hour period.

Side effects from drug treatment were minimal.

Professor Jean-Louis Vincent, head of the intensive care department at Erasme Hospital, University of Brussels, said: "Death from sepsis is one of the most common in intensive care units.

"Zovant is the only compound tested to date shown to reduce blood-clotting and inflammation, and it is this distinctive method of action that could help benefit a wide variety of patients with this syndrome.

"No other experimental compound has been effective in reducing the high death rate associated with severe sepsis."

A survey by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine released last month found that widespread confusion about sepsis among the medical profession was costing lives.