Seegene/Lab901 brings a New Detection Platform for Multiple Pathogens to European Hospitals

Seegene and Lab901 today announced the availability of a novel automated multi-pathogen walk-away detection platform for European hospitals. Based on the Seeplex^® multiplexing PCR system and ScreenTape^® gel electrophoresis detection system, this new Seeplex/ScreenTape detection platform will be introduced to clinical and research laboratories in 10 countries across Europe beginning this month.

Seegene and Lab901 have agreed to co-market the testing solutions in the European market. The two companies are responding to requests in Europe for a new automated testing technique to perform what is a routine, but not always consistent, test for biological agents in clinics. Hospital centers in The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Norway, Greece, Austria, France, Israel and Turkey have started demonstrations of the automated Seeplex/ScreenTape system.

"As active pathogenic surveillance becomes the norm for healthcare regimes worldwide, clinical research and reference labs will be placed under increased pressure to perform. It is essential that these labs gain the tools and systems that enable them to increase the speed and efficiency of pathogen detection," said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Seegene. "The automated Seeplex/ScreenTape system sets a new standard for automated detection ease of use and performance."

"The simplicity, speed and sample traceability of the Seeplex/ScreenTape system is clearly of real value to diagnostic microbiology and virology laboratories," said Joel Fearnley, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Lab901. “The ScreenTape system optimized for Seeplex multi-pathogen tests will help speed up discovery and diagnostic procedures."

The automated Seeplex/ScreenTape tests are based on a Seeplex multiplexing PCR technology from Seegene, which is capable of detecting multiple pathogens in a single tube, and ScreenTape^®, an automated walk-away gel electrophoresis detection system from Lab901.

The Seeplex tests with the CE mark and ISO 13485 deliver maximum specificity, reproducibility and sensitivity and can be applied to a broad range of molecular diagnostics, including human, animal, plant and microorganisms. The ScreenTape system will automate the simultaneous analysis of eight or sixteen Seeplex PCR samples. Processing speed for 8 samples is completed within 10 minutes; 16 samples within 18 minutes. ScreenTape displays results using an easy to interpret positive and negative read out. With no gel or buffer preparation and no system priming, even untrained operators can rapidly generate accurate and reproducible test data.

The automated Seeplex/ScreenTape tests are currently available for sexually transmitted diseases (STD), human papillomavirus (HPV), respiratory viruses (RV) and bacterial pneumonia (PB). In addition, further automated Seeplex tests are under development and will be available soon. Particularly, hospitals have showed high interest for the single tube Seeplex Sepsis test scheduled for July release.