What is suPAR?

suPAR is a protein —soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor— measurable in blood. It is a stable biomarker that reflects the immune system activation level and level of chronic inflammation.

suPAR is the soluble form of uPAR (urokinase plasminogen activator receptor), a receptor typically found on immune cells, senescent cells, endothelial cells, and smooth muscle cells.Under conditions of immune activation or inflammation, uPAR is cleaved from the cell surface, releasing suPAR (soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor) into the bloodstream. suPAR levels in the blood are positively correlated with immune system activation, making it a powerful biomarker of systemic inflammation, disease severity, and overall health risk.

Key features of suPAR

• Non-disease-specific marker of systemic inflammation
• Correlates with disease severity and prognosis
• Causal in development of atherosclerosis and kidney diseases
• Increases with age and unhealthy lifestyle factors
• Clinically validated across a wide range of conditions

An elevated suPAR level is associated with development, presence and severity of a broad range of acute and chronic health issues and short-term mortality. Contrary, a low suPAR level is associated with a good prognosis and indicates good health. All individuals have a base level of suPAR that increases with age but can be altered through timely disease management and lifestyle changes.

What is the expected suPAR level of an individual?

suPAR levels increase with age but accelerate in the presence of unhealthy lifestyle and/or disease. There are also gender differences in suPAR levels.

You can compare a patient’s suPAR level to population norms using ViroGates’ biological age algorithm. Enter the patient’s gender, age, and suPAR level to estimate:

• Biological age
• Rate of aging
• Health risk percentile

This provides clinicians with a powerful tool for early intervention and patient communication.

Why suPARnostic®?

suPARnostic® by ViroGates, measuring suPAR in blood, provides you with actionable insights into an individual’s immune status, whether you’re guiding clients in longevity and wellness programs, managing risk in acute care, or stratifying study participants.

The test is fast, minimally invasive, and designed for use across healthcare environments.

By assessing a patient’s suPAR level, the suPARnostic® test helps:

• Stratify patient risk in acute care
• Support clinical decision-making
• Guide preventive care strategies
• Enhance participant selection in research
• Monitor response to pharmacological or lifestyle interventions

Unlike traditional disease-specific biomarkers (e.g., CRP or troponin), suPAR is non-specific and prognostic, offering a broader view of a patient’s immune activation and inflammation status. This makes suPAR an exceptional biomarker for use across diverse disease areas and in general health assessment.