Improving patient safety and transplant outcomes is top of mind for transplant professionals. Fortunately, new scientific and medical discoveries are helping to improve outcomes for an increasing number of patients waiting for a transplant. Afflo optimizes the latest science advancements to support clinical transplant decision making and achieve better outcomes for patients, which requires collecting and mobilizing extremely granular data. The more granular the data unit, the better the organ match.
Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) testing facilitates more personalized organ matching by comparing recipient antibodies to the donor’s antigen typing. A positive cross-match means the immune system of the recipient will be more likely to reject the organ, in which case, an organ shouldn’t be allocated to that patient.
If a jurisdiction doesn’t have virtual cross-matching (VxM), or its system is not easily updated, this work has to be done manually (if it’s done at all). The complexity of cross-matching at epitope levels is the labelling and codification of these discrete units. In the case where allele-specific antibodies are not codified and there is overreliance on manual processes, there is a higher probability that an organ will be shipped to the most at-risk patient (e.g. a highly sensitized patient) despite having a positive cross-match.
Afflo’s Virtual Cross-Match (VxM) codified system for comparing allele-specific antibodies improves accuracy and saves precious time that would have been spent in manual cross-matching. By eliminating the inherent risks for error and time wasted in manual cross-matching, Afflo's VxM enhances patient safety, significantly improves transplant outcomes, and saves lives.