PhysIQ and CellCarta think wearables and AI could produce vaccine insights

PhysIQ announced today that it will collaborate with CellCarta to undertake a study using AI in vaccine development.

Enrollment is now complete in the VIII (Vaccine-induced inflammation investigation), which will monitor individual differences in physiologic changes associated with immune system activation in patients receiving vaccinations, including those developed to combat diseases like COVID-19.

According to a news release, the study will use blood samples and medical-grade biosensors to continuously monitor and capture remote patient physiology data 24/7, using CellCarta’s capabilities to measure humoral and cellular immune responses with PhysIQ’s proprietary, AI-based analytic program for identifying changes in physiology.

The companies said that such changes in physiology and behavior can be detected within hours after vaccine administration and can be correlated to long-lasting immune responses. The approach aims to identify individual responses to vaccines, allowing for the measurement of safety and effectiveness.

“Until now, there has never been a study that has looked so closely at individual differences in immune response to vaccines and their relationship to physiologic changes,” PhysIQ CMO and the study’s principal investigator Dr. Steven Steinhubl said in the release. “Our goal is to provide tools that help accelerate the therapeutic development of personalized vaccine regimens by looking at the full immune response. This is important because we know there are unique differences in how people react to all vaccines.”

Using medical-grade biosensors, the study will measure changes in physiologic variables like ECG, skin temperature and their derivatives, effects of modifications in individual routine behaviors and the interactions between these variables. Results are expected to be released in the coming months.

“We are excited to generate new potential insights into what makes a successful vaccination at the individual level,” Dr. Scott Sugden, immunologist and principal investigator of the study at CellCarta, said. “By evaluating the correlation between immediate physiological responses, antibody production and cellular immunity, the project will seek to define potential new metrics for rapid assessment of successful vaccination, which could ultimately lead to more effective vaccination strategies for everyone, including the most vulnerable, at-risk populations”.