HiberGene Launches HG Meningococcus Direct Swab Test

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HiberGene Diagnostics, a company developing molecular tests for infectious diseases, has launched its HG Meningococcus Direct Swab Test, having CE marked the product.

The HG Meningococcus Direct Swab Test can be used to rapidly and accurately diagnose the presence of meningococcal bacteria, a major cause of potentially fatal bacterial meningitis, using a simple throat swab. This application is in addition to the use of CSF and whole blood in the meningococcal test, previously launched by HiberGene.

The HG Meningococcus Direct Swab test meets a significant unmet clinical need and allows physicians to rapidly and accurately test for the presence of meningococcal bacteria, in a near patient setting, using non-invasive throat swab samples. This ensures that suspected cases are rapidly diagnosed, in less than one hour, and the appropriate treatment administered.

Brendan Farrell, CEO of HiberGene, said: “The release of HiberGene’s HG Meningococcus Throat Swab test means that patients suspected of meningococcal disease can be diagnosed using a non-invasive sample, and even more rapidly than by using HiberGene’s previously launched test for the disease, which uses CSF and whole blood as samples. With this new innovation, healthcare professionals can now significantly speed up diagnosis, improving patient care.”

The HG Meningococcus throat swab test can detect all known pathogenic Neisseria Meningitidis serogroups A, B, C, 29E, W135, X, Y, Z, at very low levels, with a high degree of accuracy. The test uses LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification), a proven technology for the detection of infectious diseases.

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About HiberGene

HiberGene is a diagnostics company focussed on applying molecular technology to the infectious disease segment of the diagnostic market. Utilising the LAMP platform, HiberGene has developed rapid and highly sensitive diagnostic tests for Meningococcus and Group B Streptococcus, which can be used in almost any clinical or laboratory setting. HiberGene also intends to develop a series of additional tests for use in detecting human infectious diseases.

www.hibergene.com