Oct 3 (Reuters) - Spectral Medical Inc EDT.TO said its experimental treatment for sepsis - a common, oft-deadly complication of infection - failed a late-stage study, stymieing the company's plans to bring to market the first FDA-approved device for the condition.
Sepsis occurs when the immune system goes into overdrive to fight infection or bacterial toxins, triggering a cascade of physiological changes that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death.
Toronto-based Spectral Medical holds North American rights to a system developed by Japan's Toray Industries Inc 3402.T , designed to restore blood pressure and correct organ dysfunction by using an antibiotic to detoxify the blood.
Once the patient's blood has been extracted it is passed through a column to remove a type of toxin, called an endotoxin, which is believed to be a major trigger for sepsis.
The trial did not meet the main goal of absolute reduction in mortality rate at 28 days, Spectral said on Monday.