In order to provide faster identification of bloodstream pathogens, Biomerieux has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for the United States for AdvanDx's PNA Fish rapid diagnostic tests
AdvanDx's molecular-based tests provide rapid species identification of bacteria and yeast from positive blood cultures in less than three hours.
This allows clinicians to make faster and more relevant therapy decisions that can improve antibiotic management, reduce hospital mortality, and reduce costs associated with bloodstream infections.
"We are excited to partner with Biomerieux to provide faster diagnosis of these critical diseases," said Thais Johansen, president and CEO of AdvanDx.
"The industry-leading technology behind our PNA Fish tests offers an easy to implement solution for rapid identification of a broad range of bloodstream pathogens.
"We chose Biomerieux to distribute our PNA Fish tests because it shares our values to provide cutting-edge, life-saving technology and superior customer service," Johansen added.
Stephane Bancel, chief executive officer of Biomerieux, said: "The agreement perfectly complements our current suite of automated diagnostic solutions for hospital laboratories in the USA.
"The combination of AdvanDx's PNA Fish technology and bioMerieux's BacT/Alert range will provide clinicians with quicker and more accurate results, for an earlier treatment of septic patients.".
Based on the peptide nucleic acid fluorescence in situ hybridisation (PNA Fish) technology, tests which are part of this agreement enable rapid identification of Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Enterococcus faecalis and other species from positive blood cultures.
A recent study performed by the University of Maryland Medical Center using S aureus, PNA Fish concluded that there was a significant reduction in median length of hospital stay, from six to four days.
Additionally, there was a trend toward less vancomycin usage with a decrease in associated hospital costs of US$4000 per patient.
Each year more than two million discharge diagnoses include septicemia, bloodstream infections that can lead to severe sepsis, and result in significant hospital costs in the USA.
Rapid results from the microbiology lab are therefore critical to support appropriate therapy.
Antibiotic management is crucial in sepsis (septicemia plus the systemic inflammatory response).
Every year, severe sepsis strikes an estimated 750,000 people in the United States, 215,000 of whom die.
The incidence of severe sepsis is expected to rise to one million by the end of the decade as the population ages.
Sepsis is the leading cause of death in the non-coronary ICU.
Twenty-five percent of deaths in sepsis are directly attributable to complications of septicemia, including incorrect identification of or failure to identify pathogens.
PNA Fish is a qualitative nucleic acid hybridisation assay intended for rapid identification of bacteria and yeast species from positive blood cultures.
The 2.5 hours fluorescence in situ hybridisation (Fish) assay uses fluorescence-labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes that target the species-specific ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in bacteria and yeast.
Results are visualised using fluorescence microscopy.
Fluorescing cells indicate the target species, while no fluorescence indicates another species is present in the positive blood culture.
