The medically most important mycoplasma infection is a lower tract respiratory infection caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which is an atypical bacterial pneumonia, referred to as Mycoplasma pneumonia. It is estimated that in the United States about two million cases occur each year and M. pneumoniae infections accounts for 1-10 out of every 50 cases of community-acquired pneumonia. It is therefore generally considered as a major health problem worldwide.

The patent application is based on a study indicating that respiratory infections caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae, in particular Mycoplasma pneumonia, lead to significantly increased levels of thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) protein, in particular serum TK1 (STK1) protein, in human patients. Such an increase in STK1 protein levels is, however, not seen in healthy humans or in patients suffering from respiratory infections caused by other pathogens, e.g., viral pneumonia.

“This patent application opens up a new area for using TK1 besides oncology. We have been evaluating the use of TK1 connected to infectious diseases for some time and have now enough data to protect our findings which can generate new possibilities for AroCell and health care providers by facilitating detection and classification of mycoplasma” says Michael Brobjer, CEO AroCell.