Los Angeles, CA – June 1st, 2015 – GeneFluidics Inc., a biomedical diagnostics system company, today announced that it has been awarded $3.7 million over five years from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, for the development and clinical validation of direct bloodstream infection (BSI) pathogen identification (PID) and antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). GeneFluidics is one of only three companies selected by NIAID in addressing the President’s recent National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-resistant Bacteria.
“Antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health threat that is undermining our ability to effectively detect, treat and prevent infections,” said NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “One way we can combat drug resistance is by developing enhanced diagnostic tests that rapidly identify the bacteria causing an infection and their susceptibility to various antimicrobials.”
GeneFluidics’ current product, the (Proteus lab automation system), performs rapid PID and AST of urinary tract infections (UTIs) using a proprietary electrochemical biosensor in just a few hours. The company plans to complete the clinical testing of CE certification by 2016 for the product launch in European countries. Transitioning this UTI PID/AST system to BSI diagnosis can significantly reduce hospital-acquired infections.
“We combine the advantages of lab automation, rapid molecular analysis, melt-curve signature analysis, genotypic pathogen quantification and phenotypic antibiotic conditions to dramatically improve the sensitivity and specificity of rapid, evidence-based PID and AST directly from patient blood samples,” said Dr. Vincent Gau, president of GeneFluidics.
Each year in the United States, more than 2 million people develop antibiotic-resistant infections and at least 23,000 people die as a result, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Antibiotic-resistant infections also contribute to rising health care costs due to the need for more expensive treatments and prolonged hospital stays.
About GeneFluidics
GeneFluidics was incorporated in 2001 to develop a fast, accurate, and simple testing system for improving worldwide health. By integrating novel electrochemical technologies, the company’s revolutionary molecular analysis platform enables bioassays to be performed in just fraction of conventional total assay time for immunoassays and genetic assays, without the use of purification or PCR.
For more information on GeneFluidics, contact:
Vincent Gau, President/CEO
845 Meridian Street, Irwindale, CA 91010
Phone: 626 263-3060
Email: info@genefluidics-lifescience.com