ChronicleBio says it has identified five biological groups within POTS, a syndrome marked by a rapid heart rate upon standing, and plans to test drugs in these groups
ChronicleBio says it has identified five biological groups within POTS, a syndrome marked by a rapid heart rate upon standing, and plans to test drugs in these groups
On August 3, ChronicleBio founder Fidji Simo told Fortune that the biobank had collected 890 blood samples from 709 patients over the past year. The company stores more than 3 500 tubes, links the samples to medical records and wearable device data, and plans to test existing drugs in patient groups by the end of the year.
POTS is a syndrome in which a person’s heart rate rises markedly when they stand up. In some people, this causes dizziness and weakness. In others, it causes fainting or makes prolonged standing impossible. The name describes a shared symptom, but the underlying causes may differ between individuals.
In a Fortune interview, Simo explained that the same POTS diagnosis may reflect different biological causes:
“The medical system names these syndromes based on symptoms. In one group of patients, the illness may be linked to the immune system. In another, it may be linked to mitochondria. The underlying biology is very different even though the symptoms are the same.”
Participants in the Chronicle Biobank can connect their medical records, wearable device data, and symptom diaries. Partner clinics collect the samples. Simo expects repeated sampling to show how symptoms and biological measures change after treatment begins.
The company describes a two-step process. First, the team identifies people with similar combinations of biological features. It then matches these groups with existing drugs and plans to test the drugs in patients from the corresponding group. Drug selection should be based on the biological features of the patient group.
A trial of efgartigimod for POTS after Long COVID enrolled 53 people. Argenx stopped developing the drug after the overall trial result showed no clinically meaningful benefit over placebo. An average trial result may conceal different responses among biologically distinct patient groups.
ChronicleBio plans to identify these groups first and then test drugs within each group.