CINCINNATI--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Meridian Bioscience, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio (NASDAQ: VIVO) announced today that Meridian Bioscience Europe srl, Milan, Italy has signed an agreement with BÜHLMANN Laboratories AG, Schönenbuch, Switzerland for distribution in Italy of an innovative test for inflammatory conditions of the intestine, Quantum Blue® Calprotectin. The test which detects calprotectin, a GI inflammatory marker, is a fundamental tool in differentiating between Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Patients suffering from IBS do not have increased faecal calprotectin values. Faecal calprotectin concentrations, as measured by the BÜHLMANN Calprotectin assay, are significantly elevated in patients with IBD and correlate well with endoscopic an histological assessment of disease activity. Over two million patients in Europe suffer from IBD, and it is estimated that IBS affects more than 30 million Europeans. This novel and simple test will avoid unnecessary colon endoscopies for Ulcerative Colitis or Crohn’s disease and will minimize discomfort while offering substantial savings for patients and health systems.
