NEWS
Expanded test menu for Beckman Coulter’s DxI 9000
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has announced an expanded DxI 9000 Immunoassay Analyzer menu, with tests for hepatitis B and C viruses – namely Access anti-HCV, Access HBsAg, and Access HBsAg Confirmatory assays – receiving CE marks.
The announcement was made ahead
of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global) meeting, held in Barcelona during April, where Beckman Coulter Diagnostics showcased the assays for the first time.
Detection of the viral surface antigen (HBsAg) in serum or plasma indicates an infection caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV). It is the first serological marker to appear during the course of the disease and may be present in the blood two to three weeks before clinical symptoms appear. Current protocols often require retesting and then confirmatory testing for reactive patient samples. Beckman Coulter’s validated HBsAg High Positive algorithm eliminates the need for repeat and confirmatory testing for samples ≥100.00 S/CO with 96.9% of initially reactive samples being able to be directly reported as positive providing laboratories with accurate results. The assay is intended to be used as an aid in the diagnosis of HBV infection and as a screening test for blood and plasma donors.
Kathleen Orland, Senior Vice
President, General Manager, Chemistry and Immunoassay for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics, commented: “By launching these new hepatitis assays on our DxI 9000 analyser, we can deliver exceptional quality. Together, our advanced technology allows for accurate and timely detection, enabling healthcare professionals to diagnose infections earlier and promote better patient outcomes.” The assays are currently available in countries accepting the CE mark.
Lung cancer vaccine project granted £1.7m funding
Researchers at the University of Oxford, the Francis Crick Institute and University College London have been granted £1.7 million of funding from Cancer Research UK and the CRIS Cancer Foundation to develop a lung cancer vaccine.
The team is seeking to create
‘LungVax’, the world’s first vaccine to prevent lung cancer in people with a high risk of the disease. The vaccine will use technology similar to the highly successful Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. Cancer vaccines use harmless
proteins from the surface of cancer cells known as neoantigens. Neoantigens appear on the surface of the cell because of cancer-causing mutations within the cell’s DNA. When they are introduced into the body they act as a ‘red flag’, which trains the immune system to recognise
them on abnormal lung cells. “Cancer is a disease of our own bodies
and it’s hard for the immune system to distinguish between what’s normal and what’s cancer,” said Professor Tim Elliott, research lead for the LungVax project. “Getting the immune system to recognise and attack cancer is one of the biggest challenges in cancer research today. If we can replicate the kind of success seen in trials during the pandemic, we could save the lives of tens of thousands of people every year in the UK alone.” The scientists developing this lung cancer vaccine will first use laboratory tests to see if it successfully triggers an immune response; if the results are positive, the vaccine will move straight into a clinical trial. It is hoped that the vaccine could cover around 90% of all lung cancers.
New US partnership for Epredia
Laboratory products manufacturer and supplier Medline has announced that it is now a direct distributor for Epredia, a member of PHC Group. Epredia is a global leader in the anatomical pathology field, providing comprehensive solutions for precision cancer diagnostics and tissue diagnostics. With its new status as
distributor, Medline can offer laboratories and customers across the continuum of care access to anatomical pathology products from Epredia, thus expanding Medline’s extensive portfolio of products, devices and equipment.
“Medline is confidently and quickly
growing our presence in the laboratory space,” said Nicole Krpan, General Manager of Laboratory at Medline. “And, we are excited to augment our product offering with Epredia – whose legacy and brands are deeply embedded and always in demand in the market.” Increasing complexity of cancer diagnostics means laboratories are under increasing pressure to speed up processes and reduce costs. Laboratories in acute and non-acute care settings around the world have looked to Epredia for solutions
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that improve the laboratory workflow to help pathologists deliver quality results and timely diagnoses. “We are excited to begin this partnership with Medline as we serve our mutual customers in the anatomical pathology market space,” said Larry Cook, Vice President of Epredia Commercial Operations – Americas. “With Medline’s extensive distribution network combined with Epredia’s products, commercial and service support, this partnership strengthens our focus cantered on ‘improving lives by enhancing cancer diagnostics’ for patients, researchers, and clinical laboratories in the US market.”
MAY 2024
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