Beckman Coulter is introducing antipsychotic drug tests to laboratories and clinicians to address an unmet clinical need for 69 million people with serious mental conditions worldwide.
In a new agreement with Saladax Biomedical, Inc., the company will distribute tests designed to measure blood levels of antipsychotic drugs prescribed to treat patients with serious mental illness (SMI), such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. The assays have been developed using innovative nanoparticle technology and empower healthcare professionals with the data to monitor psychiatric drugs prescribed in treatment of psychosis, including as Clozapine, Risperidone/Paliperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole.
The rapid, high-quality assays run on Beckman Coulter’s scalable AU clinical chemistry analysers and shorten turnaround time for test results to hours instead of days.
Kathleen Orland, senior vice president and general manager, clinical chemistry and immunoassay, Beckman Coulter, said: “Beckman Coulter’s portfolio of therapeutic drug monitoring assays offers laboratories and diagnostic testing facilities ways to improve patient care by ensuring therapeutic ranges are monitored. Our relationship with Saladax expands access for laboratories and clinicians to antipsychotic drug testing for treatment of psychotic disorders, which is a growing healthcare need.”
Sal Salamone, CEO and founder, Saladax, said: “Our partnership with Beckman Coulter is a major step in making these important antipsychotic tests available to healthcare professionals. The tests provide timely quantitative insights so they can make reliable assessments that will improve the care of patients with serious mental illness.”
Assays are being introduced across Europe and the US, with plans to expand to Beckman Coulter customers globally.For more information about Beckman Coulter’s Antipsychotic Drug Testing addition to Therapeutic Drug Monitoring, visit www.beckmancoulter.com/antipsychotic.
