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Genera Biosystems partners with Healthscope on a respiratory test
11th May, 2010. Melbourne, Australia.
Genera partners with Healthscope to develop a test for the detection of respiratory tract pathogens.
RTI-plex will be able to identify and differentiate up to 30 different respiratory pathogens, including avian influenza and SARS and Genera to retain global commercialisation rights.
Genera Biosystems today announced a new collaborative arrangement with Healthscope Pathology, a division of Healthscope Limited (ASX: HSP), to develop a novel molecular diagnostic test capable of detecting and distinguishing up to eighteen different pathogens that may infect the respiratory tract. RTI-plex™, as the test is to be known, will be based upon the same AmpaSand™ diagnostic platform used in Genera’s PapType HPV test, also used in Healthscope’s diagnostic laboratories.
“Strategically, Healthscope is looking to position itself as a provider of differentiated and value-added diagnostic tests to its doctors”, said Dr. Keith Byron, the Scientific Director of Healthscope’s Advanced Pathology business. “PapType has been an extremely useful and successful product for us for several years, providing our customers with more valuable and actionable clinical data than that provided by other HPV tests. We see RTI-plex as doing the same”.
RTI-plex will be able to distinguish between a number of different infectious agents present in a clinical specimen. The target organisms will include a range of different influenza types, including the H1N1 strain responsible for the 2009 epidemic, as well as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), an important pathogen in children and adults suffering from bronchial disease, and SARS.
Published estimates for the global market opportunity for RTI-plex are US$100-200m in a normal year. However, the emergence of newer pathogens can cause test volumes to increase substantially. “In 2009, at the height of the swine influenza pandemic, influenza test requests coming in to our laboratory increased approximately twenty-fold over normal levels”, said Dr. Byron.
The agreement sees Healthscope providing funding to develop RTI-plex to a point where it can be self-validated by Healthscope for use in its own laboratories. Genera will then take the product through Australian and international regulatory approvals and will retain the right to pursue a range of distribution models, including possible out-licensing. “This is a model that has worked very well for us previously with PapType, and is very much a win-win for both parties”, commented Genera chairman, Fernando Careri. “Healthscope gets early access to a new test, providing a competitive edge in the Australian pathology market, while Genera’s costs of bringing a new product to market are offset by Healthscope’ contribution”.
“Healthscope have been a very good partner for Genera, and we’re very pleased to be working with them again”, commented Allen Bollands, Chief Executive Officer of Genera. “This project is precisely in line with our overall strategic plan, which is to build value into the business by exploiting our versatile AmpaSand detection platform. Having a “menu” of tests to offer potential customers is critical in the diagnostics space, and we’re continuing to work to identify other high value opportunities that complement RTI-plex and PapType”.
Further details:
Dr Allen Bollands
CEO Genera Biosystems Limited
Telephone: +61 (0)423 943 600
e-mail: allen.bollands@generabiosystems.com
