Kim Smith, sepsis survivor and quadruple amputee in Milton Keynes, UK.Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that happens when the body’s immune system has an extreme response to an infection. If not recognized early and treated promptly, it can lead to organ dysfunction and failure.1 It is a leading cause of hospitalization, mortality and morbidity in adults.2
Sepsis is unpredictable, a silent killer which takes 11 million lives a year and a leading cause of hospitalization. At Adeptio Pharmaceuticals we are working tirelessly to reduce the worldwide burden of sepsis.
Christian T. Felter
Global Head of E. coli sepsis franchise
Did You Know?
50M
people affected by sepsis every year worldwide.†3
Every 3 seconds
someone in the world dies of sepsis.†3,4
Adults over 65 years old
are 13x more likely to be hospitalized due to sepsis than those under 65.‡5
Meet Kim
Before becoming a sepsis survivor, Kim Smith was a busy woman, running multiple businesses and always on the move. This all changed when Kim contracted a urinary tract infection on holiday, which quickly progressed into sepsis. Nine weeks later, she awoke from an induced coma to the news that all four of her limbs had to be amputated to save her life.
Unfortunately, Kim’s story is not unique. Survivors of sepsis often experience life-changing consequences, such as amputations, organ dysfunction, post-traumatic stress disorder, and neurocognitive and psychological long-term effects.6
Escherichia coli in 3DHow Can E. coli Cause Sepsis?
Escherichia coli (E. coli) resides harmlessly in our intestines. However, invasive E. coli disease occurs when certain strains infect normally sterile body sites, like the urinary tract or bloodstream, causing infections which may progress to sepsis.7 It is estimated that E. coli is a leading cause of bacterial sepsis, accounting for up to 30% of cases with an identified origin.*8,9,10
AntibodyE. coli and Antimicrobial Resistance
Many E. coli strains that can cause invasive E. coli disease are becoming resistant to antibiotic treatments, which is a growing public health concern. 7, 11 E. coli is also the largest bacterial contributor to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) related deaths.12
Hannah Wentzel, Associate Brand Manager Influenza & Travel, UKOur Mission
Currently, sepsis is understood as a condition that healthcare professionals need to treat. We believe a shift in emphasis – from treatment to prevention – could deliver a variety of benefits and fill a serious unmet public health need.
This is why we have made Sepsis Prevention our mission. The Phase 3 clinical trial for our E. coli sepsis vaccine candidate is ongoing.
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