Acolyte Biomedica Ltd Launches BacLite® flex Rapid MRSA Test

Acolyte Biomedica Ltd, has introduced a new platform for its BacLite® Rapid MRSA test which promises to set the benchmark for laboratory based rapid screening.

The new product, immediately available throughout the EU, offers the following features:-

• Rapid culture based screening test
• Ultra sensitive innovative detection technology
• Direct from specimen
• Confirmed negatives in 5 hours
• Confirmed positives next day
• Flexible throughput with up to 45 tests per run
• 1 minute hands on time per specimen
• Automated end-point with objective results
• Major hospital studies confirm superior performance to traditional methods

BacLite® flex will allow hospitals to screen patients for the presence of the superbug. This information will enable infection control teams to act quickly to prevent a hospital acquired infection at the same time minimizing the cost of patient isolation. The new system will greatly enhance effective management of infection control with the following benefits:

• Rapid identification of colonized patients
• Fast screening of admissions, transfers and discharges
• Improved use of isolation resources
• Enhanced management of high risk patients
• Detects viable organisms
• Improved control of resistant organisms
• Enhanced hospital risk management

Healthcare associated infections, of which MRSA is the most significant, are estimated to cause 5000 deaths in the UK each year and by being able to act quickly, hospitals can reduce significantly the incidence of mortality and morbidity. In addition MRSA costs the NHS around £1 billion p.a., so reducing the incidence of the infection is poised to have a major financial impact.

Commenting on the introduction, Acolyte Chairman Dr Tim Coombs said “We have gained a wealth of information from clinical microbiologists in the six months since we entered the rapid MRSA screening market. BacLite® flex incorporates the full range of features requested by our customers and provides a flexible package for different specimen volumes and future single organism screening”.

This announcement comes shortly after BD Corporation announced their intention to acquire California based GenoOhm Sciences, which also markets a rapid screening test for MRSA, for $230M. BD estimated in their statement that the market for rapid tests for healthcare associated infections has the potential to grow to greater than $500m per annum. Whilst GeneOhm’s test is based on molecular diagnostics, BacLite® flex is the only available objective rapid screening test for MRSA which is culture based and therefore able to differentiate between viable and dead cells.

BacLite® flex will be immediately available through the following distributors:-

England, Scotland and Wales – BioStat Limited (+44 (0) 161 483 5884
Northern Ireland – SMC Limited (+44 (0) 28 9041 0136
Eire – isis company (+353 1 286 7777)