SpeeDx Receives CARB-X Funding to Develop Rapid Point-of-Care Diagnostic
SpeeDx Pty. Ltd., a developer of innovative molecular diagnostic solutions, announced it has been awarded up to US $1.8 million from CARB-X, a global non-profit partnership dedicated to supporting research and development to address the rising threat of drug-resistant bacteria. SpeeDx represents the first Australian-based diagnostics company to receive CARB-X funding and a further $1.9 million will be available once the project reaches defined milestones. Funds will be used to develop a rapid test for the combined detection of Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, while identifying antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of gonorrhea infections towards common antibiotic treatments. Chlamydia (CT) and gonorrhea (NG) are globally significant sexually transmitted infections with serious health complications if left untreated,1 and AMR NG is an urgent public health threat.2
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210510005228/en/
SpeeDx aims to develop an affordable, fast (60 mins), point-of-care test for the detection of bacteria that cause CT and NG, in addition to determining the susceptibility of NG to cefixime, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin. Utilizing their newly patented InSignia™ technology to both assess the presence of active bacterial infection and AMR status, SpeeDx is collaborating with QuantuMDx to port the test onto their Q-POC™ sample to answer qPCR & integrated microarray system - a small battery-powered, simple-to-use device suitable for remote settings. (Graphic: Business Wire)
Current antibiotic susceptibility testing methods fail to offer timely and comprehensive susceptibility/resistance information, especially in resource-limited settings. SpeeDx aims to develop an affordable, fast (<60 mins), point-of-care test for the detection of bacteria that cause CT and NG, in addition to determining the susceptibility of NG to three cheap, orally administered, and accessible antibiotics: cefixime, ciprofloxacin, and azithromycin. SpeeDx will utilize their newly patented InSignia™ technology to both assess the presence of active bacterial infection and AMR status. SpeeDx is collaborating with QuantuMDx to port the test onto their Q-POC™ sample to answer qPCR & integrated microarray system - a small battery-powered, simple-to-use device suitable for remote settings.
“We are working closely with QuantuMDx to supply affordable and innovative diagnostics with the goal of significantly improving the standard of care and antibiotic stewardship in STI management,” said Colin Denver, SpeeDx CEO. “This project is an excellent application of our recently developed InSignia technology and the support from CARB-X for this venture will help accelerate this development and extend access in critical need areas.”
Jonathan O’Halloran, Chief Executive, QuantuMDx added: “Antimicrobial resistance is a global public health threat and requires a global response. With rapidly rising rates of AMR, it is no longer good enough to simply provide a pathogen ID, we must also determine what therapeutics the infection is resistant to and which ones the infection are sensitive to. Performing this all within a single assay, as the patient waits, will be transformational. We launch Q-POC™ - our rapid PCR diagnostic system - later this year and we’re looking forward to this, our first commercial collaboration, with SpeeDx.”
About SpeeDx
Founded in 2009, SpeeDx is an Australian-based private company with subsidiary offices in Austin and London, and distributors across Europe. SpeeDx specializes in molecular diagnostic solutions that go beyond simple detection to offer comprehensive information for improved patient management. Innovative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology has driven market-leading multiplex detection and priming strategies. Product portfolios focus on multiplex diagnostics for sexually transmitted infection (STI), antibiotic resistance markers, and respiratory disease. For more information on SpeeDx please see: https://plexpcr.com
About CARB-X
Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X) is a global non-profit partnership dedicated to accelerating early development antibacterial R&D to address the rising global threat of drug-resistant bacteria. CARB-X is led by Boston University and funding is provided by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response (ASPR) in the US Department of Health and Human Services, the Wellcome Trust, a global charity based in the UK working to improve health globally, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s Global Antimicrobial Resistance Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and with in-kind support from National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the US National Institutes of Health (NIH). CARB-X is investing up to $480 million from 2016-2022 to support innovative antibiotics and other therapeutics, vaccines, and rapid diagnostics. CARB-X supports the world’s largest and most innovative pipeline of preclinical products against drug-resistant infections. CARB-X is headquartered at Boston University School of Law. carb-x.org/. Follow us on Twitter @CARB_X.
About QuantuMDx
QuantuMDx Group is an ambitious company with a global vision of empowering the world to control and eradicate disease by making transformative, quality point-of-care diagnostic technologies universally accessible. QuantuMDx has operations and strategic partnerships in the United States, Asia, Australasia, Europe and Africa – keeping it at the forefront of molecular diagnostics. For more information go to: www.quantumdx.com
References
- WHO, News Release: More than 1 million new curable sexually transmitted infections every day, 6 June 2016
- WHO, News Release: Antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea on the rise, new drugs needed, 7 July 2017
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210510005228/en/
Contact information
SpeeDx
Australia, New Zealand and Europe
Madeline O’Donoghue - SpeeDx
+61 406 582 808
QuantuMDx
UK
Debra Daglish, QuantuMDx Group,
+44 870 803 1234
About Business Wire
Business Wire(c) 2018 Business Wire, Inc., All rights reserved.
Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in multiplatform press release distribution.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Celltrion Healthcare presents the first real-world data for Truxima ® (biosimilar rituximab) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma at the EHA 2021 Virtual Congress12.6.2021 17:45:00 CEST | Press release
Celltrion Healthcare today presented new data from its post-approval study evaluating the real-world clinical effectiveness and safety of Truxima® (biosimilar rituximab, CT-P10) in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) at the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2021 Virtual Congress.1 CT-P10 was granted European Medicines Agency approval in 2017 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and specific blood cancers, including non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL).2 DLBCL is the most common subtype of NHL, representing an estimated 30-40% of adult cases.3,4,5,6 This non-interventional post-authorisation safety study (PASS) involved the collection of patient-level data from hospital medical records for patients with DLBCL who received CT-P10 treatment in five European countries (United Kingdom, Spain, France, Germany and Italy). CT-P10 treatment pattern data were collected retrospectively during the 30-month observation period and patients were selected based on the treatment t
Janssen Announces Results from Phase 3 MAIA Study Showing Significant Overall Survival Benefits for Treatment with DARZALEX ® ▼ (daratumumab) in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma Who are Transplant Ineligible12.6.2021 09:01:00 CEST | Press release
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson announced overall survival (OS) results from the Phase 3 MAIA (NCT02252172) study showing the addition of DARZALEX® ▼(daratumumab) to lenalidomide and dexamethasone (D-Rd) resulted in a statistically significant survival benefit over lenalidomide and dexamethasone (Rd) alone in patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) who were ineligible for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) and were treated to progression.1 These data were featured in the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2021 Virtual Press Briefing and will be presented as a late-breaking abstract during the EHA Virtual Congress (Abstract #LB1901). The prespecified interim analysis for OS found that after a median follow-up of nearly five years (56.2 months), a 32 percent reduction in the risk of death was observed in the D-Rd treatment arm vs. Rd arm.1 Median OS was not reached in either arm [hazard ratio (HR): 0.68, 95 percent confidence interval (CI),
New Phase 3 Study Results Show IMBRUVICA ® (ibrutinib)-Based Combination Regimen as an All-Oral Fixed-Duration Treatment Demonstrated Superior Progression-Free Survival in Adult Patients with Previously Untreated Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia12.6.2021 09:00:00 CEST | Press release
The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson today announced primary results from the pivotal Phase 3 GLOW study (NCT03462719) evaluating fixed-duration IMBRUVICA® (ibrutinib) plus venetoclax (I+V) compared to chlorambucil plus obinutuzumab (Clb+O) for first-line treatment of elderly or unfit patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). The study demonstrated superior progression-free survival (PFS) of a once-daily, all-oral, fixed-duration regimen of I+V versus Clb+O as first-line treatment of CLL; the study also showed improved duration of remission and significantly improved depth of remission.1 With I+V, undetectable minimal residual disease (uMRD) in peripheral blood (PB) was sustained by 85 percent of patients one year after end of treatment.1 The safety and tolerability profile of I+V was consistent with CLL treatment in an older population with comorbidities.1 These data were featured in the European Hematology Association (EHA) 2021 Virtual Press Briefing an
Alluzience ® , the first ready-to-use BoNT-A neuromodulator, receives positive decision for use in Europe11.6.2021 11:53:00 CEST | Press release
Galderma today announced that Alluzience® has completed its European decentralized procedure resulting in a positive decision for the first ready-to-use neuromodulator, a wrinkle relaxing injection, in Europe. National approvals will now take place across the region in line with local processes in each country. Designed for precision, Alluzience® is a liquid form of botulinum toxin type A intended for use in adult patients as a treatment to temporarily improve the appearance of moderate to severe glabellar lines (vertical lines between the eyebrows), when the severity of these lines has an important psychological impact on the patient.1 "The introduction of Alluzience® marks a new era in treatment innovation for upper facial lines in Europe. Like many aspects of physical appearance, glabellar lines can have a significant impact on patients’ confidence and wellbeing. I’ve heard first-hand that the transition to living and working in a virtual world has only exacerbated these issues. As
Secure Communities Forum: Behavioural Insights Can Assist Governments in the Post-Pandemic World11.6.2021 10:15:00 CEST | Press release
The Secure Communities Forum, a global collaboration of security professionals, has convened a leading panel of experts to discuss how behavioural science can impact positive social cohesion, build on the concept of positive citizenship, and encourage positive individual behaviours. The virtual event was attended by 134 people from 18 countries. The Secure Communities Forum convened the webinar in response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Governments and law enforcement agencies have used behavioural science to encourage adherence to public health measures like social distancing and mask-wearing. Lindsay Juarez, Director at Irrational Labs, USA, opened the session, offering the view that we assume humans are rational, which is not the case. She said: “Behavioural science is about setting people up for success and breaking through the noise. Information isn't enough to change behaviour, the decision-making context matters. “People don’t always act in their own long-term best interests,
Luxembourg’s Supercomputer MeluXina is Operational11.6.2021 09:18:00 CEST | Press release
Luxembourg’s high performance computer MeluXina was officially launched on June 7 putting the country on the global map of computer super powers. MeluXina is capable of executing more than 10 Petaflops, the equivalent of 10 million billion calculations per second, which will rank it among the world’s top 50 supercomputers. The petascale computer is powered by green energy and is part-funded under the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210611005115/en/ Minister of State Xavier Bettel; His Royal Highness Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg; Minister of the Economy Franz Fayot; EuroHPC Joint Undertaking Executive Director Anders Jensen (Photo: Business Wire) In a series of 8 high-performance computers in the EU, MeluXina joins Vega, another petascale supercomputer located in Slovenia, as the first EuroHPC machines to go live. Its innovative modular architecture allo
Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics Present New Data in 22 Patients With Greater Than 3 Months Follow-Up Post-Treatment With Investigational CRISPR/Cas9 Gene-Editing Therapy, CTX001™ at European Hematology Association Annual Meeting11.6.2021 09:05:00 CEST | Press release
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq:VRTX) and CRISPR Therapeutics (Nasdaq:CRSP) today announced new data on 22 patients,with follow-up of at least 3 months, and ranging from 4 months to 26 months, treated with the investigational CRISPR/Cas9-based gene-editing therapy, CTX001, that show a consistent and sustained response to treatment. CTX001 is being investigated in two ongoing Phase 1/2 clinical trials as a potential one-time therapy for patients suffering from transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia (TDT) and severe sickle cell disease (SCD). In total, more than 40 patients have been dosed across both studies to date. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210611005069/en/ All 15 patients with TDT, including six who have the beta zero/beta zero or other severe genotypes, were transfusion-free at last follow-up, and all seven patients with severe SCD were free of vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) from CTX001 infu