QuantuMDx Group Limited and Molbio Diagnostics Private Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities for joint working in infectious disease diagnostics, with an initial focus on genotypic drug resistance testing for those infected with tuberculosis.
QuantuMDx Group Limited and Molbio Diagnostics Private Limited have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore opportunities for joint working in infectious disease diagnostics, with an initial focus on genotypic drug resistance testing for those infected with tuberculosis. In addition, the two companies will also explore partnership opportunities around portfolio development and target sequencing.
QuantuMDx and Molbio announced the collaboration at the India-UK FutureTech Festival, a technology thought leadership summit, taking place in New Delhi and being co-hosted by the UK Department of International Trade and the Indian government.
QuantuMDx is a life science tools and diagnostics company based in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom and has designed and developed the Q-POC™ device, a rapid and portable DNA analyser. Molbio is a molecular diagnostics company based in Goa, India and has developed and commercialised the Truelab™ point-of-care Real Time PCR System and Truenat™ assays for various infectious diseases including tuberculosis.
The terms of the MoU enable both companies to investigate the complementary nature of their respective technologies, business operations and expertise, with the collective aim of improving healthcare for all, regardless of their socio-economic status or geographical location, through earlier diagnosis of disease.
Elaine Warburton OBE, Chief Executive Officer, QuantuMDx, said: “Molbio is a key player in the point- of-care molecular diagnostics market, established both in India and the rest of the world with its robust distributor network. Our companies share a similar ethos and commitment to ensuring accurate, accessible and affordable diagnostic solutions for all.
“Within this context, we are excited by the opportunity to collaborate with Molbio. We’re looking to maximise synergies and expand the capabilities of both companies, so we can complement, rather than compete against, each other and seek to address gaps in the provision of diagnostics, as partners.” innovation within the sector, developing two next-generation molecular diagnostic platforms (Q- POC™ and CAPTURE-XT®) which aim to expand point-of-care testing for all forms of TB, all ages and immune status. We are keen to work with them to explore mutual business opportunities, particularly focusing on assay development for multi-drug resistance TB, as it will be utilised on the Q-POC™ platform.
“We are also looking forward to supporting QuantuMDx in the development and implementation of a Q-POC™ distribution strategy for India and other key geographical markets.”
Elaine Warburton is currently taking part in the UK Department of International Trade Mission to India - Innovating for a Healthier World – encompassing visits by British healthcare innovators to health care providers and distributors in Bengaluru, New Delhi and Mumbai.
For more information go to www.quantumdx.com and www.molbiodiagnostics.com
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Chandrasekhar Nair, Molbio Diagnostics and Elaine Warburton, QuantuMDx Background Information
India is a key geographical market for QuantuMDx. In 2015, QuantuMDx’s Chief Executive Officer, Elaine Warburton, accompanied the Prime Minister the Right Honourable Theresa May on her inaugural overseas visit to the country. As QuantuMDx prepares for commercialisation, their team are cultivating strong links with Indian partners and key opinion leaders in clinical and manufacturing settings. They have also undertaken visits to a range of healthcare settings in India, to ensure their products will meet market requirements and to learn first-hand from the experiences and knowledge of healthcare professionals working there.
Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the top 10 causes of death worldwide. In 2017, 10 million people fell ill with TB and 1.6 million died from the disease. *
India is the country with the highest burden of TB, with an estimated incidence figure of 2.74 million cases in 2018.*
(*World Health Organisation)
About QuantuMDx Group
QuantuMDx Group is a multinational company with a global vision: to revolutionise healthcare and help eradicate disease by making accurate diagnostics universally accessible.
The company’s flagship device, the Q-POC™, compresses a molecular diagnostics laboratory into a simple-to-use, portable, affordable device. It can be used anywhere from basic under-the-tree settings to clinics and hospitals, providing results within 20 minutes.
Headquartered in the UK, QuantuMDx has operations and global partnerships with healthcare providers in the United States, Asia, Europe and Africa – keeping it at the forefront of molecular diagnostics.
About Molbio Diagnostics
Molbio is an Indian company with a vision to decentralize and democratize access to high quality diagnostics through innovative point of care and near patient platforms.
Molbio developed the Truelab™ technology with its R&D subsidiary Bigtec Labs, based in Bangalore, India. The development was supported by the Government of India under the New Millennium India Technology Leadership Initiative (NMITLI) of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, the Biotechnology Industry Partnership Program (BIPP) of the Department of Biotechnology, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Grand Challenges Canada under the Point-of-Care Diagnostics Initiative. Molbio also continues to be supported by FIND under their Support for Success (S4S) initiative.
For media enquiries, please contact:
Debra Daglish, Marketing Communications Manager, QuantuMDx Group T: 44 (0) 870 803 1234 E: debra.daglish@quantumdx.com
Sumit Mitra, Marketing Manager, Molbio Diagnostics T: +91 832 2458111/12
