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Rapid Test Differentiates Bacterial vs. Viral Infections
13 Apr
Summary
- New test distinguishes bacterial from viral infections in 20 minutes.
- Optimizes antibiotic use without impacting healthcare visits.
- Test translates host protein levels into infection likelihood scores.
Beckman Coulter Diagnostics has secured a European CE mark for its MMBV test, a tool designed to rapidly distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. This regulatory approval, granted under the EU's in vitro diagnostics regulation, enables the use of MeMed's Access MeMed BV (MMBV) test with Beckman's immunoassay analysers, providing results in approximately 20 minutes.
The MMBV test analyzes the levels of three host proteins—TRAIL, IP-10, and CRP—to generate a score indicating the probability of a bacterial or viral infection. Clinical trials, such as the JUNO trial, have demonstrated that this test can optimize antibiotic prescriptions for conditions like lower respiratory tract infections without increasing emergency care visits or hospitalizations.
This advancement is a result of an expanded partnership between Beckman Coulter and MeMed, the test's developer. The MMBV test, which previously received FDA approval in 2021, aims to mitigate the challenges posed by overlapping symptoms of bacterial and viral infections. Healthcare systems in the UK have already seen cost reductions following MMBV integration, with potential annual savings of up to €80 million across Europe projected from reduced unnecessary admissions and testing.
