WOBURN, Mass., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- AdvanDx today officially launched its new web site, http://www.advandx.com, which highlights the benefits of implementing PNA FISH(TM) and the impact on patient care, hospital operations and costs. PNA FISH is a rapid, molecular-based assay platform intended for identification of bacteria and yeast species directly from positive blood cultures. Results are available within hours instead of days, allowing labs to quickly report results to physicians and pharmacists, helping ensure optimal therapy for patients with bloodstream infections.
Studies show that effective implementation of PNA FISH, via coordinated efforts between the microbiology lab, pharmacy and medical staff, can result in:
* Improved patient safety (1) * Early, appropriate and effective antibiotic therapy * Potential to decrease mortality * Decreased antimicrobial use (2,3) * Decreased hospital length of stay (2) * Significant cost savings (2,3) * Development of new therapeutic guidelines (1,2,3)
The new web site also provides information to assist in the understanding of how AdvanDx’s rapid diagnostics support optimal care for patients and, in turn, improve the use of hospital resources.
The laboratory uses AdvanDx’s rapid diagnostics to provide rapid and accurate results that influence antibiotic selection, patient management, and improve overall hospital operations. Physicians and pharmacists use these results to support appropriate antibiotic selection and therapy decisions that can lead to better patient care and improved outcomes, including a reduction in mortality and unnecessary antibiotic use.
Infection-control practitioners use the lab results to gather epidemiological data in order to reduce hospital-acquired infections and improve the overall quality of patient care. Finally, healthcare administrators can help improve the quality of patient care, resource utilization and reduce costs for their hospitals by supporting implementation of rapid diagnostics.
“We are very pleased to launch the new site and provide additional information on how our products can help healthcare providers support optimal care for their patients,” said Philip Onigman, Director of Sales & Marketing at AdvanDx. “Understanding the role that each individual plays in patient management, and how rapid results from the laboratory can help improve care, will ensure that hospitals maximize their benefits from implementing rapid diagnostics.”
About AdvanDx
AdvanDx, Inc. develops and markets in vitro diagnostic kits based on its PNA FISH(TM) and EVIGENE(TM) technologies to aid in the diagnosis and prevention of infectious diseases. The PNA FISH and EVIGENE product lines provide rapid identification results for bacteria and yeast to support appropriate antibiotic therapy and overall patient care. PNA FISH is available for in vitro diagnostic use (IVD) in both the United States and Europe while EVIGENE is available for research use only (RUO) in the United States and for in vitro diagnostic use in Europe. Headquartered outside of Boston, AdvanDx has established R&D facilities both in the United States and Denmark, with sales and marketing capabilities located throughout the United States and Europe. For more information please visit http://www.AdvanDx.com or call +1-781-376-0009.
About Bloodstream Infections
Bloodstream infections, also known as bacteremia, cause significant morbidity and mortality and are among the most common healthcare-associated infections. Every year, 350,000 patients acquire bloodstream infections while in hospitals in the US, resulting in more than 90,000 deaths (25%) and significant costs to the healthcare system. At the first sign of infection, such as a positive blood culture with Gram-positive cocci in clusters (GPCC), physicians often treat empirically with broad-spectrum antibiotics to cover the risk of resistant pathogens, especially methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Rapid results from the microbiology lab are therefore critical to support appropriate antibiotic therapy.
About PNA FISH(TM)
PNA FISH(TM) is a qualitative nucleic acid hybridization assay intended for identification of bacteria and yeast species from blood cultures. The 2.5 hours fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay uses fluorescence- labeled peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes that target the species-specific ribosomal RNA (rRNA) in bacteria and yeast. Results are visualized using fluorescence microscopy. Fluorescing cells indicate the target species, while no fluorescence indicates another species is present in the positive blood culture.
About EVIGENE(TM)
EVIGENE(TM) is a qualitative hybridization assay using signal amplification that provides rapid (3 hrs.) detection of specific gene markers in bacterial isolates. Once a sample has been prepared and genetic material from the organism is isolated, the EVIGENE test is performed in microwells containing capture probes for the specific gene. If the gene is present, capture probe -- gene -- detection probe complexes are formed during hybridization. A conjugate-substrate mechanism produces a red color, indicating the presence of the gene.
(1) Toombs et al. Impact of Peptide Nucleic Acid (PNA) Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (FISH) for Enterococcal blood stream infections. Oral Abstract #131, IDSA 2006 Annual Meeting, Toronto, Canada (2) Forrest et al. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2006 Jul;58(1):154-8 (3) Forrest et al. J. Clin. Microbiol. 2006 44: 3381-3383
AdvanDx
CONTACT: Joen T. Johansen of Corporate Communications, +1-781-376-0009,joen.johansen@advandx.com
Web site: http://www.advandx.com/
