MELBOURNE, Australia, Oct. 3, 2025 -- Diagnostics company Nutromics has presented the world's first real-time, continuous data on two critical antibiotics - vancomycin and tobramycin - measured simultaneously on the same device in animal models. The breakthrough was unveiled at the International Congress of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (IATDMCT) in Singapore.
The study, conducted in rats, demonstrated the Nutromics platform's ability to continuously track levels of multiple targets on the one device ('multiplexing'). Both vancomycin, among the most frequently dosed IV antibiotics in U.S. hospitals, and tobramycin, one of the 300 most commonly prescribed U.S. drugs, are frontline treatments for infections such as sepsis and MRSA. While lifesaving, they pose risks: overdosing can cause nephrotoxicity, while underdosing fuels antimicrobial resistance. Real-time monitoring will enable clinicians to optimize dosing for safety and efficacy.
"Our goal is to start providing real-time molecular data in critical care settings," said COO Hitesh Mehta. "Clinicians often tell us that today they are currently flying blind, relying on delayed point-in-time data. The Nutromics Lab-on-a-Patch® has the potential to transform healthcare, starting with how we approach Therapeutic Drug Monitoring. Demonstrating multiplexing proves this technology is a true platform and affirms Nutromics' larger goal: real-time data for drugs and biomarkers, aiding clinicians in other areas such as cardiology and triage – and following the patient seamlessly from hospital to hospital in home care and broader community settings."
To achieve dual detection, the Nutromics team deployed a wearable patch with microneedles coated in synthetic DNA-based sensors (or aptamers), one specific to vancomycin, the other tobramycin. Each aptamer responded selectively to its target drug without interference when both were administered at separate time points, demonstrating both sensitivity and specificity. The devices were fabricated using the same process Nutromics' uses today for a single sensor device in its ongoing human studies.
"While numerous biosensors have been shown to work in a beaker, transitioning from bench to body requires the technology to function reliably and accurately under diverse, dynamic biological conditions outside of a controlled lab environment. This is often where failure occurs.," said lead scientist Julian Gerson. "Building on the validation of our lead sensor for vancomycin in first-in-human studies over the last two years, this work further demonstrates Nutromics' ability to translate aptamer technologies from bench to in vivo. Importantly, we are the first to show multiplexed measurement of antibiotics in vivo, something existing technologies have not achieved. By proving this is not only possible but high-fidelity, Nutromics is now adding high-value biomarkers to its sensor library, moving towards diagnostic 'panels' that can give doctors the critical information they need in real time."
In August, the company announced A$7.5 million in new funding and has already completed first-in-human studies with its wearable patches. Clinical trials in multiple hospital ICUs are now underway in Australia, with US hospital trials slated for 2026.
