BD (NYSE:BDX) announced that it entered into a worldwide commercial collaboration agreement with Accelerate Diagnostics (Nasdaq:AXDX).
Under the agreement announced earlier this week, BD will offer Accelerate’s rapid testing solution for antibiotic resistance and susceptibility, with results offered in hours compared to between one and two days with some traditional laboratory methods.
Anti-biotic-resistant infections have been on the rise for years. In 2016, details released from the 2014 Review on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), commissioned by the UK government to address the concern that superbugs, resistant to current antibiotics, could eventually evolve to the point that the drugs are no longer effective.
In 2020, more than 20 biopharmaceutical companies around the world pledged more than $1 billion toward the Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Action Fund.
Under the agreement between BD and Accelerate, BD will market the Accelerate Pheno system and Accelerate Arc module, as well as associated test kits, through its global sales network in territories where the products have regulatory approval or registration. BD said in a news release that the solutions complement its existing clinical microbiology portfolio and advance the shared goal of both companies to address the threat of antimicrobial resistance.
“When a patient is very sick, every minute matters,” said Brooke Story, president of integrated diagnostic solutions for BD. “Rapid testing can quickly determine if an antibiotic should be used for treatment, and if so, which one. Through our collaboration with Accelerate Diagnostics, we can help clinicians more quickly, efficiently and effectively treat patients, which may lead to a reduction in health care costs and help slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance.”
Accelerate’s FDA-cleared PhenoTest BC kit can deliver both rapid identification and phenotypic antibiotic susceptibility results in hours direct from positive blood cultures.
External studies have demonstrated that the offering provides results between one and two days faster than traditional methods, enabling clinicians to optimize antibiotic selection and dosage specific to the individual patient days earlier.
The Accelerate Arc module, a load-and-go system, eliminates the requirement of a subculture for MALDI ID and the need for lengthy hands-on time by automating the direct MALDI ID workflow.
“With BD’s large installed customer base of clinical microbiology systems, this collaboration exponentially increases our global commercial reach and provides numerous ways to increase our market penetration with Pheno and Arc to reach more clinicians and patients,” said Jack Phillips, president and CEO of Accelerate Diagnostics. “Beyond the immediate clinical and commercial benefits, we are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with BD as a long-term leader in clinical microbiology.”