Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Siemens Introduces Next-Generation Molecular Diagnostics Technology for HIV-1 Viral Load Testing

21/01/2009Siemens AG, Healthcare Sector
Siemens Healthcare received CE marking approval to sell the new VERSANT kPCR Molecular System and the VERSANT HIV-1 RNA 1.0 Assay (kPCR) for monitoring the viral load of HIV-1 infected patients who are undergoing antiviral therapy. Viral load testing measures the plasma levels of the virus, which is critical when monitoring and guiding patients’ HIV therapy. "With nearly three million people diagnosed as HIV positive each year, innovation to improve both workflow and patient care is critical,” said Donal Quinn, CEO, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “We are pleased to offer clinical laboratories leading-edge molecular technology that supports effective diagnosis and treatment of this challenging and devastating infectious disease." The VERSANT kPCR Molecular System, a kinetic polymerase chain reaction analyzer, delivers excellent assay performance with high sensitivity and broad range. The system delivers versatility through its quality nucleic acid extraction technology and ability to streamline workflow and improve efficiency in the clinical laboratory. The fully automated system offers enhanced software that interfaces with medical Laboratory Information Systems, which are used to download patient work-orders and upload patient test results. “The VERSANT kPCR Molecular System represents a significant expansion of our molecular diagnostics portfolio that will allow us to offer a growing menu of infectious disease and genomic tests, as well as sample preparation solutions for our customers,” said David Okrongly, senior vice president, molecular diagnostics, Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. The VERSANT HIV-1 1.0 Assay (kPCR) is run on the VERSANT kPCR Molecular System and allows viral load changes to be distinguished accurately, improving HIV viral load management. It also demonstrates excellent precision across the entire reporting range and equivalent detection of HIV RNA genotypes.

Early Detection of Increased Thrombosis Risk

02/02/2009Siemens AG, Healthcare Sector
Siemens Healthcare has developed Innovance Antithrombin, a new test for determining congenital and acquired antithrombin deficiency. Insufficient levels of protein in blood can lead to increased thrombophilia. Reason: Antithrombin ensures balanced blood coagulation by reducing the activity of thrombin and coagulation factor Xa which are responsible for blood coagulation. Innovance Antithrombin detects insufficient antithrombin activity, enabling the early detection of an increased risk of thrombosis in patients. Innovance Antithrombin by Siemens Healthcare is a new chromogenic test for the automatic quantification of functionally active antithrombin in human citrated plasma. In contrast to antithrombin activity tests based on the inhibition of the coagulation factor thrombin, Innovance Antithrombin determines the activity of the antithrombin protein through the inhibition of coagulation factor Xa. This prevents distortion of the test result if a patient was given specific medication to prevent or treat thromboses, such as hirudin or other thrombin inhibitors. Innovance Antithrombin can be used with the automatic coagulation measuring devices from Siemens such as BCS and BCS XP as well as Sysmex CA-500, Sysmex CA-1500 and Sysmex CA-7000. The new test by Siemens is also suitable for diagnosing congenital or acquired antithrombin deficiencies which are known to be linked with an increased risk of thrombosis. Antithrombin deficiencies manifest themselves in reduced activity of the antithrombin protein. Two types of congenital antithrombin deficiencies are distinguished: in case of deficiency type I, the total quantity of existing antithrombin protein is reduced, whereas in case of deficiency type II, the protein concentration is normal, but the protein is defective in respect of its inhibitor function. Acquired antithrombin deficiency exists if less antithrombin protein is produced or more is spent than usual. This may result, for example, from liver diseases, DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation), sepsis, acute hemolytic transfusion reaction, nephrotic syndrome or major surgical interventions. The test can also serve for monitoring the substitution therapy with antithrombin concentrates. The test kit components of Innovance Antithrombin are ready for use and therefore especially fast and easy to use. The test is based on a chromogenic measurement principle. Citrated plasma is mixed with a surplus of coagulation factor Xa. If heparin is present, part of coagulation factor Xa is bonded and deactivated by the antithrombin present in the specimen. Surplus, uninhibited coagulation factor Xa then splits a chromogenic substrate. In this process, coloring is released, the concentration of which is detected with a photometer. The higher the concentration of the produced coloring, the higher was the quantity of uninhibited coagulation factor Xa and the lower was the concentration of functionally active antithrombin originally present in the plasma specimen.

Infection: New Mode Found Of How Diseases Evolve

Researchers found a new way that bacteria evolve into something that can make humans sick. 20/02/2009
Researchers have discovered a new way that bacteria evolve into something that can make sick. The finding has implications for how scientists identify and assign risk to emerging diseases in the environment. The researchers found that bacteria can develop into illness-causing pathogens by rewiring regulatory DNA, the genetic material that controls disease-causing genes in a body. Previously, disease evolution was thought to occur mainly through the addition or deletion of genes. "Bacterial cells contain about 5,000 different genes, but only a fraction of them are used at any given time," Brian Coombes, lead investigator of the study, said. "The difference between being able to cause disease, or not cause disease, lies in where, when and what genes in this collection are turned on. We have discovered how bacteria evolve to turn on just the right combination of genes in order to cause disease in a host. It is similar to playing a musical instrument – you have to play the right keys in the right order to make music." With infectious diseases on the rise, the finding has implications on how new pathogens are identified in the environment. Scientists currently monitor the risk of new diseases by assessing the gene content of bacteria found in water, food and animals. "This opens up significant new challenges for us as we move forward with this idea of assigning risk to new pathogens," Coombes said. "Because now, we know it's not just gene content – it is gene content plus regulation of those genes." MEDICA.de; Source: McMaster University