Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) have partnered with Viva In Vitro Diagnostics, a Spanish biotechnology company specializing in immunology-based medical solutions, to conduct a clinical study on the functional detection of the NLRP3 inflammasome as a biomarker for improving prognosis, immune stratification, and active monitoring of sepsis patients. Sepsis remains a major global health burden, causing over 13 million deaths each year, with up to half of survivors experiencing long-term physical or cognitive complications, recurrent infections, or other serious conditions, particularly among vulnerable populations such as older adults, children, and cancer patients.

The clinical study will be conducted entirely at Vall d’Hebron and will evaluate NLRP3 inflammasome activation and related interleukins as biomarkers for diagnosis, disease severity, and clinical progression in sepsis. As part of a multicenter project, the study aims to recruit at least 280 patients and 80 healthy controls, with Vall d’Hebron contributing around 75 patients and 30 controls, thereby expanding patient diversity and strengthening clinical validation using VIVA-ELISA® technology. By assessing the functional capacity of the innate immune system rather than conventional markers such as PCT, CRP, IL-6, or lactate, this biomarker enables earlier detection of immune dysfunction, improves prognostic accuracy, and supports personalized treatment decisions during the critical early stages of sepsis.

The study will be led by Dr. Ricard Ferrer Roca, Head of the Intensive Care Medicine Service at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and leader of the SODIR research group at VHIR, who emphasizes that the collaboration with Viva In Vitro Diagnostics offers a valuable opportunity to advance sepsis diagnosis and treatment through clinically validating the NLRP3 biomarker using VIVA-ELISA® technology and moving toward more precise, personalized care. An internationally recognized authority in sepsis and critical care, Dr. Ferrer is an Associate Professor at the University of Barcelona, Codirector of the Severe Infections and Sepsis Masterclass at ESICM, former President of SEMICYUC, Treasurer of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, and an active member of several global intensive care and sepsis organizations.