Baxter and bioMérieux Announce Collaboration to Improve Identification and Treatment of Acute Kidney Injury

DEERFIELD, Ill. & MARCY L’ÉTOILE, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Baxter International Inc. (NYSE:BAX), a global leader in acute care, and bioMérieux, a world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics, announced an agreement to develop future biomarkers with the goal to rapidly identify and inform treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI). The announcement was made at the International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM) this week.

“We’re committed to improving outcomes for critically ill patients across the continuum of care, which includes identifying opportunities to diagnose AKI earlier so a patient can receive the best therapy,” said Reaz Rasul, general manager of Baxter’s Acute Therapies business. “By working with the team at bioMérieux, we’ll be able to combine their expertise in diagnostics with our experience in bringing the latest medical advancements to the ICU.”

“As a leader in pioneering diagnostic solutions, we’re looking forward to collaborating with Baxter to address the important challenges in critical care medicine such as AKI. In order to accomplish this, the team at the recently-acquired Astute Medical is committed to the development of additional high medical value biomarkers for improved patient care,” said Mark Miller, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer at bioMérieux.

AKI is a sudden decrease in kidney function over a period of hours to days, often the result of illness, trauma or infection. The sudden loss of kidney function leads to the accumulation of toxins and fluid in the blood that, if left untreated, may lead to death. The most severe stage of AKI requires renal replacement therapy (“dialysis”) to replace the function of the kidneys. AKI is an increasingly common complication of acute illnesses in intensive care units and hospitals and early diagnosis is critical.^1,2,3

Additional details about the agreement were not disclosed.

About bioMérieux

Pioneering Diagnostics

A world leader in the field of in vitro diagnostics for over 55 years, bioMérieux is present in 43 countries and serves more than 160 countries with the support of a large network of distributors. In 2018, revenues reached €2.4 billion, with over 90% of sales outside of France.

bioMérieux provides diagnostic solutions (systems, reagents, software, services) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety. Its products are mainly used for diagnosing infectious diseases and some critical illnesses. Its diagnostic solutions are also used for detecting microorganisms in agri-food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
bioMérieux is listed on the Euronext Paris stock market.
Symbol: BIM – ISIN Code: FR0013280286
Reuters: BIOX.PA/Bloomberg: BIM.FP
Corporate website: www.biomerieux.com. Investor website: www.biomerieux-finance.com

About Baxter

Every day, millions of patients and caregivers rely on Baxter’s leading portfolio of critical care, nutrition, renal, hospital and surgical products. For more than 85 years, we’ve been operating at the critical intersection where innovations that save and sustain lives meet the healthcare providers that make it happen. With products, technologies and therapies available in more than 100 countries, Baxter’s employees worldwide are now building upon the company’s rich heritage of medical breakthroughs to advance the next generation of transformative healthcare innovations. To learn more, visit www.baxter.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

This release includes forward-looking statements concerning the development of AKI related biomarkers through a new collaboration between Baxter and bioMérieux. The statements are based on assumptions about many important factors, including the following, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements: satisfaction of regulatory and other requirements; actions of regulatory bodies and other governmental authorities; product quality, manufacturing or supply, or patient safety issues; changes in law and regulations; and other risks identified in Baxter’s most recent filing on Form 10-K and other SEC filings, all of which are available on Baxter’s website. Baxter does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements.

Baxter is a registered trademark of Baxter International Inc.

¹ Siew ED, Davenport A: The growth of acute kidney injury: a rising tide or just closer attention to detail? Kidney Int 2015;87:46-61.
² O’Connor ME, Kirwan CJ, Pearse RM, Prowle JR: Incidence and associations of acute kidney injury after major abdominal surgery. Intensive Care Med 2016;42:521-530.
³ Susantitaphong P, Cruz DN, Cerda J, Abulfaraj M, Alqahtani F, Koulouridis I, Jaber BL: World incidence of AKI: a meta-analysis. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol 2013;8:1482-1493.

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