Gram-negative bacteria and their endotoxins are a causal or complicating factor in many diseases. Secondary endotoxin exposure may complicate the course of various diseases as well as trauma or surgery. Whatever the source, exposure to endotoxin can induce a systemic inflammatory response that involves many interconnected cellular and plasma mediators. This can manifest in clinical signs such as fever, increased heart and breathing rates and other symptoms. The response may be self-limiting, or it may proceed to shock, organ failure and death.
Current treatments are limited to antibiotics and supportive intensive care.
The lack of a consistent and rapid diagnostic for endotoxin exposure is one. A variety of cytokines and serum proteins have been advanced as candidates for the diagnosis of infections, SIRS and other endotoxin-related conditions, as yet without success. To date, XOMA has six issued U.S. and foreign patents and one U.S. Notice of Allowance, directed to diagnostic and prognostic methods for measuring levels of LBP in humans. Richard Ulevitch and Peter Tobias, at The Scripps Research Institute in San Diego.