Sysmex’s PA-100 AST System Wins One of the UK’s Biggest Science Prizes
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Sysmex’s PA-100 AST System for Rapid Detection of Antimicrobial Susceptibility Wins One of the UK’s Biggest Science Prizes “Longitude Prize on AMR”
Sysmex Corporation (HQ: Kobe, Japan; President: Kaoru Asano) is pleased to announce that its subsidiary Sysmex Astrego AB (HQ: Uppsala, Sweden) has been awarded one of the UK's biggest science prizes, the “Longitude Prize on AMR,” for the development of the PA-100 AST System, a rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing system. The prize is designed to reward and support teams of innovators who have undertaken the challenge of transforming the conventional clinical workflows for infectious diseases, thereby making greatest contribution to tackling the global issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR).1 Since the prize launched in November 2014, more than 250 teams from around the world have applied, with Sysmex Astrego AB standing out as the sole recipient.
With the PA-100 AST System, a urine sample from a patient with a suspected urinary tract infection (UTI)2 is simply added directly into a special sample cartridge, which is inserted into a compact analyzer. Presence of bacteria is determined in just 15 minutes from the start of testing and antimicrobial efficacy in as little as 30 minutes, both automatically, supporting appropriate administration of antimicrobials at the initial patient visit at clinics, which is crucial for AMR strategies. Sysmex Astrego’s proprietary nanofluidic technology3 has achieved much more rapid testing than the conventional method, which requires several days from culturing bacteria to antimicrobial susceptibility determination. It also features simple operation allowing healthcare professionals without specialized laboratory testing expertise to use it with confidence. Sysmex has initiated the market introduction of this testing system in Europe from June 2023.
Sysmex, under its corporate philosophy "Sysmex Way" and its mission to "Shaping the advancement of healthcare.", has been working as a group to establish innovative testing technology and product development that can quickly determine effective antimicrobials against the global issue of AMR. The Longitude Prize on AMR will serve as a catalyst for Sysmex to further accelerate its efforts in expanding the global market and its application coverage of the PA-100 AST System, which is set to revolutionize conventional clinical workflows for infectious diseases. Through this testing system, Sysmex will continue its contribution to tackling the universal threat of AMR.
About Longitude Prize
The Longitude Prize is an incentive scheme established in 1714 under British longitude law, in which the British government awarded a prize for a simple and practical method for accurately measuring longitude for ships, but this system was abolished in the 1800s. Run by Challenge Works, part of UK innovation agency Nesta, it was rebooted as a program to incentivize and support scientists, researchers, and innovators to find practical, innovative solutions to pressing global challenges such as AMR and dementia. A committee of experts from across the world, representing scientific, medical, and diagnostic technology industries select teams that can develop innovative solutions to the set social challenges and decide on recipients.
References
November 18, 2022 story: “Tackling the Universal Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) with New Testing Technology - Sysmex Group Working Together in Efforts to Meet This Social Challenge -”
https://www.sysmex.co.jp/en/stories/221118.html
June 26, 2023 news release: “Sysmex Launches World’s First Point-of-Care Testing System in Europe to Detect Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Just 30 Minutes - By Revolutionizing Conventional Clinical Workflow, Our Diagnostic Technology Confronts the Global Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) -”
https://www.sysmex.co.jp/en/news/2023/230626.html
Challenge Works press release dated June 12, 2024: “From 3 days to 45 minutes: rapid test for UTI wins £8m Longitude Prize on AMR to transform fight against superbugs”
https://amr.longitudeprize.org/press-release/rapid-test-uti-wins-8m-longitude-prize-on-amr
Terminology
- Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): AMR occurs when microorganisms develop mechanisms that protect themselves from the effects of drugs making the drugs less effective or completely ineffective. Bacteria that have acquired such resistance are referred to as drug-resistant bacteria. The proliferation of drug-resistant bacteria in the body reduces the effectiveness of antimicrobials making it difficult to treat infections that would otherwise be mild and easily resolved. *Reference: November 4, 2021 story: “What is antimicrobial resistance (AMR)?” https://www.sysmex.co.jp/en/stories/211104.html
- Urinary tract infections (UTIs): UTIs are caused by bacteria that proliferate in the urinary tract, spanning from the kidneys to the urinary outlet, resulting in inflammation. These infections can lead to cystitis in the bladder and pyelonephritis in the kidneys. They are among the most commonly encountered bacterial infections in daily clinical practice, with approximately 60% of women experiencing them at least once in their lifetime. *Source: Foxman B, et al. Urinary Tract Infection: Self-Reported Incidence and Associated Costs. Ann Epidemiol. 2000;10(8):509-515. doi:10.1016/s1047-2797(00)00072-7.
- Nanofluidic technology: Sysmex Astrego’s unique, proprietary technology involves creating microchannels at the micrometer or nanometer level, which allows individual bacteria from a fluid sample to be captured and cultured unidirectionally within these microchannels, enabling rapid detection of antimicrobial susceptibility.
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