A PARTNERSHIP between Crumlin-headquartered Randox Laboratories, the UK’s largest manufacturer of in-vitro diagnostics, and the German technology giant Bosch, is changing the way doctors will treat patients with antibiotics.
After a decade of research and development, they have combined to launch a revolutionary product called the Vivalytic, which will enable doctors to access point-of-care testing for respiratory and sexually transmitted infections.
It’s estimated that 20 per cent of antibiotics currently prescribed are unnecessary and fuel the growing threat of global antibiotic resistance.
But the problem is being addressed by the Vivalytic, an intuitive point-of-care analyser that, depending on the complexity of the test, will deliver results from 30 minutes, enabling doctors to select the right course of therapy faster than before. In some cases, this will be life-saving.
The first tests available on the Vivalytic - which is being presented to industry professionals for the first time at a major medical conference in Madrid this week - are Randox’s panels for respiratory and sexually-transmitted infections.
Using Randox’s patented biochip array technology, the respiratory multiplex array simultaneously reports on 22 viral and bacterial pathogens including Bordetella pertussis and parapertussis which causes whooping cough.
Randox founder and managing director Dr Peter FitzGerald said: “Antibiotic stewardship is a critical issue which we all have a responsibility to embrace and drive forward.
"This partnership is ideal, combining our expertise in molecular laboratory diagnostics with Bosch’s cutting-edge engineering.
"The Vivalytic is a game-changer for clinicians and patients: never before has there been this level of accessibility to this range of molecular diagnostics.”
Marc Meier, general manager of Bosch Healthcare Solutions, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bosch Group, said:“We are enthusiastic about having gained Randox as the first partner on our platform with two initial panels available from the start.
"It´s the beginning of jointly expanding the Vivalytic test portfolio for our clients. In this partnership the core competencies of Bosch in automation, miniaturisation, and networking are complemented by Randox’s expertise in developing and commercialising innovative diagnostic solutions.”
Randox is a global leader in healthcare diagnostics, and more than 5 per cent of the world’s population – in excess of 370 million people across 145 countries – receives medical diagnosis using Randox products each year.
The company, which has more than 1,400 employees of 44 nationalities, including 300 research scientists and engineers, exports 95 per cent of its products worldwide for use in hospitals, clinical, research and molecular laboratories, food testing, forensic toxicology, life sciences, and veterinary laboratories.
As well as its main base in Crumlin, the company has key manufacturing and research and development sites in Dungloe (Donegal), Bangalore and Washington DC.
