3M Healthcare furthers rapid MRSA testing kit development

A new testing kit, designed to detect multiple antibiotic-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has reached the end of its pre-clinical development.

The kit, the product of collaboration between 3M Healthcare and Response Biomedical, will allow medical professionals to detect the presence of the bacteria within 20 minutes of the initial test.

According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, Staphylococcus aureus killed as 1,403 people in the UK during 2003. Deaths from the antibiotic resistant variants MRSA formed the largest chunk, with 955 deaths blamed on the bacteria.

“We are pleased with the technical performance of this clinical infectious disease test that could improve the outcome of patients entering the hospital system,” said Bill Radvak, CEO of Response Biomedical.

He said that given the “broad consensus among leading public health experts internationally that an influenza pandemic is likely”, the firm had made “a long-term commitment to commercialise additional rapid infectious disease tests to enable early containment and treatment”.

3M Healthcare is funding the testing kit’s development, will manage clinical trials and will pursue regulatory approval. The companies have not yet negotiated an agreement to supply the kits.

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