Dr Monica Embers has driven the development of a promising new test for Lyme disease. As Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Director of Vector-Borne Disease Research at the Tulane University National Primate Research Center (Louisiana, USA), Dr Embers has studied Lyme disease for many years.
Dr Monica Embers (Credit: Tulane University)
Driving improvements for Lyme patients
In 2022, Dr Embers was a member of the federal Tick-Borne Disease Working Group under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and was designated as the chair of the Diagnostic Subcommittee. Here she met Tammy Crawford, who is the leader of Focus on Lyme, a foundation focused on improving prevention, diagnostics, treatment and advocacy for Lyme disease. Together they combined their knowledge to found Aces Diagnostics, a Lyme disease testing company.
More accurate testing for all phases of disease
Dr Embers is the Chief Research Officer for Aces Diagnostics, which has developed a new test called LYMESEEK™. The hope is that this will become the first FDA approved test for both early and disseminated Lyme disease offering over 90% accuracy. Combining multiple biomarkers with a computer algorithm, this test should help more accurately diagnose all phases of the disease.
The test may be particularly useful for very early stage cases which more commonly test falsely negative. In turn ensuring antibiotics are received in the critical early treatment window before the disease spreads throughout the body, when it is often harder to treat.
The path to success
The team at Aces Diagnostics are currently finalising a manufacturing agreement, navigating the FDA approval process, and raising capital investment. Tulane University and the Focus on Lyme Foundation will serve as co-licensors of LYMESEEK™.
Aces Diagnostics hopes to have the test available to the public by the third quarter of 2026.