Novel Data on sphingotec’s penKid® Kidney Function Assay to be Presented at 32nd ESICM Annual Congress 2019
Hennigsdorf, Germany, September 26, 2019
- SphingoTec GmbH (“sphingotec”) today announced that novel data on its sphingotest® penKid® assay for Proenkephalin, a unique and proprietary biomarker for real-time assessment of kidney function, will be presented at the 32nd Annual Congress of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine (ESICM) taking place in Berlin on September 28 to October 2, 2019. In the scientific program of the conference, clinical researchers will present findings from numerous studies investigating the utility of Proenkephalin in various clinical settings using the sphingotest® penKid® microtiter plate assay. To make this innovative test for the management of critically ill patients in acute care setting more readily available, sphingotec plans to launch the test on its proprietary Nexus IB10 point-of-care platform later this year. The IB10 sphingotest® penKid® assay for Proenkephalin will provide test results on whole blood sample in only 20 minutes and can be flexibly deployed in emergency departments, intensive care units and any laboratory setting.
ESICM 2019 Presentations and Posters on Proenkephalin and penKid®
In a session on acute kidney injury, François Dépret (Hôpitaux Universitaires Saint-Louis – Lariboisière – Fernand-Widal, Paris, France) will present data demonstrating that proenkephalin measured with penKid® at admission of severely ill burn patients is predictive of outcome. In the same session, François Dépret will present data that the penKid® assay could detect sub-clinical acute kidney injury in two independent patient cohorts paving the way for earlier therapeutic intervention. The finding that Proenkephalin is an earlier marker of acute kidney injury compared to creatinine, the current standard test for kidney damage, is further confirmed by data that will be presented by Remi Beunders (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands).
In sessions on critical care nephrology, François Dépret will present a poster on the prognostic value of kidney biomarkers including Proenkephalin at the time of discharge of patients from the intensive care unit, while Remi Beunders will present an equation that allows estimating glomerular filtration rate, an important parameter of kidney function, in critically ill patients based on Proenkephalin blood levels measured by the penKid® assay.
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Oral Presentations at ESICM 2019
Session: AKI - Epidemiology and early diagnosis, October 1, 2019
“PenKid at admission is predictive of outcome in severely ill burn patients: A report from the PRONOBurn cohort” - presented by François Dépret (Hôpitaux Universitaires Saint-Louis – Lariboisière – Fernand-Widal, Paris, France)
“Sub-clinical acute kidney injury detection using penKid®: A report from the FROG-ICU and AdrenOSS-1 cohorts”- presented by François Dépret (Hôpitaux Universitaires Saint-Louis – Lariboisière – Fernand-Widal, Paris, France)
“Proenkephalin, a novel biomarker for kidney function, is earlier in detecting acute kidney injury compared to creatinine” - presented by Remi Beunders (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
Poster Presentations at ESICM 2019
Session: AKI - Critical Care Nephrology 1, September 30, 2019
“One-year prognostic value of kidney biomarkers at discharge from the intensive care unit” – presented by François Dépret (Hôpitaux Universitaires Saint-Louis – Lariboisière – Fernand-Widal, Paris, France)
Session: AKI - Critical Care Nephrology 2, October 1, 2019
“An equation to estimate glomerular filtration rate in critically ill patients using the novel biomarker proenkephalin” – presented by Remi Beunders (Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands)
About sphingotec
SphingoTec GmbH (“sphingotec”;Hennigsdorf by Berlin, Germany) develops and markets innovativein vitro diagnostic IVD tests for novel and proprietarybiomarkers for the diagnosis, prediction and monitoring of acute medical conditions, such as acute heart failure, circulatory shock, and acute kidney injury in order to support patient management and provide guidance for treatment strategies. sphingotec’s assay portfolio includes sphingotest® bio-ADM® the assay for bioactive adrenomedullin, a unique biomarker for real-time assessment of vascular integrity in conditions like sepsis or congestive heart failure, sphingotest® penKid®, the assay for proenkephalin, a unique biomarker for real-time assessment of kidney function and sphingotest® DPP3, an assay for Dipeptidyl Peptidase 3, a unique biomarker for signalling pathway disruptions leading to acute organ dysfunction.Along with the Nexus IB10 POC platform by its subsidiary Nexus Dx Inc. (San Diego, CA, USA) acquired from Samsung in 2018, sphingotec markets a standard marker portfolio for acute care. In addition, sphingotec developed a portfolio of novel biomarkers, which predict the risks of obesity, breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
• PenKid surpasses serum creatinine on Day 1 post-transplant in detecting delayed graft function (DGF), with an AUROC of 0.87 versus 0.56 for creatinine. • PenKid differentiates slow graft function (SGF) from DGF up to 8 days earlier than current methods, supporting more timely clinical decisions. • PenKid levels remain unaffected by kidney replacement therapy (KRT), allowing for more accurate assessment of kidney function. • Independent validation in transplant cohort from Australia confirms performance and broad applicability. Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, July 1, 2025 - Diagnostic company SphingoTec GmbH (“SphingoTec”) announces a landmark study (1) published in Transplant International, led by Heidelberg University Hospital in Germany in collaboration with researchers from Sydney, Australia, which identifies Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid) as a reliable biomarker for early and precise assessment of graft function trajectories following kidney transplantation. The research demonstrates that PenKid not only identifies patients at risk for DGF significantly earlier than traditional markers but also distinguishes between slow and delayed graft function with remarkable accuracy, offering clinicians a valuable new tool for patient management. The study prospectively evaluated 159 consecutive kidney transplant recipients at Heidelberg University Hospital and validated findings in an independent cohort from Sydney. PenKid consistently outperformed serum creatinine (SCr) in predicting graft function trajectories, particularly in the critical early post-transplant period. Notably, PenKid’s ability to remain unaffected by KRT—a treatment for severe kidney dysfunction—further sets it apart from SCr, which can be influenced by non-renal factors and KRT itself, thereby enhancing the reliability of graft function assessment. Multivariate analysis confirmed PenKid as the strongest independent predictor of both short-term graft function and 30-day outcomes, underscoring its clinical utility for early risk stratification. The biomarker’s superior granularity allows for nuanced classification of DGF severity, supporting more informed decisions regarding the initiation of dialysis or biopsy and offering potential for individualized patient care. With these findings, penKid steps forward as a practical addition to the transplant clinician’s toolkit, promising to sharpen decision-making for optimal outcomes. Its adoption could help transplant teams act with greater confidence and precision, ultimately strengthening the standard of care in kidney transplantation. ## References 1. Benning L et al. (2025) Proenkephalin A 119-159 in Kidney Transplantation: A Novel Biomarker for Superior Tracking of Graft Function Trajectories. Transpl. Int. 38:14366. doi: 10.3389/ti.2025.14366 About SphingoTec SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec"; Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany) is a biomarker company focusing on the out-licensing of innovative critical care solutions for diagnosing, predicting, and monitoring acute medical conditions. SphingoTec develops its biomarkers to the commercial stage and partners with IVD companies to make them available on different IVD platforms. SphingoTec's proprietary biomarker portfolio includes Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases, commercially available on diagnostic platforms AFIAS and Nexus IB10 and bioactive Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM), a biomarker for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis. Discover more on www.sphingotec.com Contact : Ruxandra Lenz Marketing and Communication SphingoTec GmbH Phone +49-3302-20565-0 Email: press@sphingotec.com
• Boditech Med and SphingoTec announce the launch of the AFIAS sphingotest® penKid® assay, a diagnostic tool designed to aid in kidney function assessment for critically ill patients. • The IVDR-marked assay provides quantitative measurements of Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), supporting clinical decision-making in acute and critical care. • This launch follows a licensing agreement granting Boditech the rights to develop and commercialize penKid-based assays, as well as a market development agreement between the two companies. Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea, and Hennigsdorf/Berlin, Germany, May 6, 2025 - Boditech Med Inc. (“Boditech”) and SphingoTec GmbH (“SphingoTec”) today announced the commercial launch of the AFIAS sphingotest® penKid® assay. The assay is designed to provide clinicians with a tool for assessing kidney function in critically ill patients by measuring Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker that reflects real-time kidney function independently of inflammation or comorbidities. The AFIAS sphingotest® penKid® assay is IVDR-marked for its intended use as an automated fluorescence immunoassay for the in vitro diagnostic quantitative determination of Proenkephalin A 119-159 in human whole blood/plasma, serving as an aid in the diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) in adult patients with sepsis or septic shock. It provides additional information to support clinical decision-making in managing critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI). This launch is the result of a strategic collaboration between Boditech and SphingoTec, including a licensing agreement granting Boditech the rights to develop and commercialize penKid-based assays on its diagnostic platforms, as well as a market development agreement aimed at accelerating global commercialization efforts. Eui-Yul Choi, CEO of Boditech Med, commented: “We are proud to introduce the AFIAS sphingotest® penKid® assay to clinicians worldwide. This launch reflects our commitment to delivering innovative diagnostic solutions that address critical needs in healthcare. Our collaboration with SphingoTec has been instrumental in bringing this important tool to market.” Deborah Bergmann, CEO of SphingoTec, added: “The launch of AFIAS sphingotest® penKid® demonstrates how partnerships can drive innovation and improve access to advanced diagnostics. By combining our biomarker expertise with Boditech’s diagnostic capabilities, we are reaching a new chapter in our collaboration. We are streamlining our processes to support the business of our license partners and further expand our global reach. This enables us to provide clinicians with essential tools to enhance patient care.” Scientific insights on penKid PenKid is a biomarker that enables real-time assessment of kidney function (1). Unlike traditional markers such as serum creatinine, penKid levels are not influenced by inflammation or other confounding factors like age or sex (1,2,3). Studies have shown that penKid allows earlier detection of acute kidney injury (AKI), predicting changes in serum creatinine up to 48 hours before conventional diagnostic criteria are met (1,3). This early detection capability is particularly valuable in critically ill patients, including those with sepsis or septic shock (1,3,4). Additionally, penKid has shown potential for monitoring renal recovery under dialysis and could help predict successful weaning from renal replacement therapy (5,6). ## References 1. Hollinger A, et.al. Proenkephalin A 119-159 (Penkid) Is an Early Biomarker of Septic Acute Kidney Injury: The Kidney in Sepsis and Septic Shock (Kid-SSS) Study. Kidney Int Rep. 2018 Aug 22;3(6):1424-1433. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2018.08.006. 2. Beunders et al. Assessing GFR With Proenkephalin, Kidney International Reports, 2023, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ekir.2023.08.006 3. Caironi et al., Circulating proenkephalin, acute kidney injury, and its improvement in patients with severe sepsis or shock. Clin Chem (2018) DOI:10.1373/clinchem.2018.288068 4. Moledina DG. Penkid: A Novel Biomarker of Reduced GFR in Sepsis. Kidney Int Rep. 2018 Nov 15;4(1):17-19. doi: 10.1016/j.ekir.2018.11.002. 5. von Groote T et al. Proenkephalin A 119–159 predicts early and successful liberation from renal replacement therapy in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury: a post hoc analysis of the ELAIN trial. Crit Care 26, 333 (2022). doi.org/10.1186/s13054-022-04217-4 6. von Groote T, et al. Evaluation of Proenkephalin A 119-159 for liberation from renal replacement therapy: an external, multicenter pilot study in critically ill patients with acute kidney injury. Crit Care. 2023 Jul 10;27(1):276. doi: 10.1186/s13054-023-04556-w. About Boditech Boditech Med (based in Chuncheon, Gangwon-do, Republic of Korea) is a leading company in the field of point-of-care diagnostics, which has accumulated 25 years of business expertise in the field. The company has more than 80 types of in vitro diagnostic products that detect biomarkers related to infectious diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and hormone-related diseases with its immunofluorescence lateral flow technology, quantitative immunofluorescence technology and spectrophotometric technology. And the list continues to grow with new high-value-added products. With its instrument platform installed in more than 120 countries, the company also has a stable revenue model. The company is currently strengthening its value as a global company by expanding its manufacturing bases in the US, China, India, and Indonesia. About SphingoTec SphingoTec GmbH ("SphingoTec"; Hennigsdorf near Berlin, Germany) is a diagnostic company focusing on the out-licensing of innovative critical care biomarkers for diagnosing, predicting, and monitoring acute medical conditions. SphingoTec develops its biomarkers to the commercial stage and partners with IVD companies to make them available on different IVD platforms. SphingoTec's proprietary biomarker portfolio includes Proenkephalin A 119-159 (penKid), a biomarker for the assessment of kidney function in critical diseases, commercially available on diagnostic platforms AFIAS and Nexus IB10 and bioactive Adrenomedullin 1-52 (bio-ADM), a biomarker for the assessment of endothelial function in conditions like sepsis. Discover more on www.sphingotec.com Contact: Ruxandra Lenz Head of Marketing and Communication SphingoTec GmbH Phone +49-3302-20565-0 Email: press@sphingotec.com