New Pregnancy Assay Receives CE Marking and FDA Clearance
|
By LabMedica International staff writers Posted on 20 Jan 2014 |

Image: The new high standard \"Access Total βhCG (5th IS)\" assay for pregnancy determination from Beckman Coulter Diagnostics (Photo courtesy of Beckman Coulter).
The approved new pregnancy determination assay features a broad dynamic range and is the first to standardize to the World Health Organization's latest international standard.
To help move reproductive health management forward, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics of Beckman Coulter (Brea, CA, USA) has received the CE marking and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its new "Access Total βhCG (5th IS)" assay. It is the first βhCG assay standardized to the highly purified World Health Organization (WHO) 5th International Standard (IS) for glycoprotein chorionic gonadotropin. The βhCG assay is critical in routine and emergency diagnosis as it is frequently ordered on women of childbearing-age who require treatment, which could potentially be harmful to a fetus. The expanded utility of the assay has also been CE Mark approved for Down syndrome assessment during pregnancy.
“As the first manufacturer to standardize to the WHO 5th IS, the new βhCG assay is an example of Beckman Coulter’s continuing dedication to lead the way in this important diagnostic field,” said John Blackwood, senior vice president of Product Management for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics; “The new assay is just one example of the innovations that comprise Beckman Coulter’s reproductive health portfolio—the most comprehensive immunoassay reproductive panel available on the market.”
The assay features a broad dynamic range with automatic onboard dilution capability, reducing the need for manual sample dilutions. As a part of the standardization, reference ranges have been updated to include additional populations that include women over the age of 40, postmenopausal women, and men. Additionally, in response to changing laboratory environments and the challenges faced in collecting serum samples, Beckman Coulter has further improved the Total βhCG (5th IS) to make it more resilient to preanalytical factors.
"Access" reproductive solutions are part of a comprehensive assay menu featured on the Access and UniCel Immunoassay Systems.
Related Links:
Beckman Coulter
To help move reproductive health management forward, Beckman Coulter Diagnostics of Beckman Coulter (Brea, CA, USA) has received the CE marking and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its new "Access Total βhCG (5th IS)" assay. It is the first βhCG assay standardized to the highly purified World Health Organization (WHO) 5th International Standard (IS) for glycoprotein chorionic gonadotropin. The βhCG assay is critical in routine and emergency diagnosis as it is frequently ordered on women of childbearing-age who require treatment, which could potentially be harmful to a fetus. The expanded utility of the assay has also been CE Mark approved for Down syndrome assessment during pregnancy.
“As the first manufacturer to standardize to the WHO 5th IS, the new βhCG assay is an example of Beckman Coulter’s continuing dedication to lead the way in this important diagnostic field,” said John Blackwood, senior vice president of Product Management for Beckman Coulter Diagnostics; “The new assay is just one example of the innovations that comprise Beckman Coulter’s reproductive health portfolio—the most comprehensive immunoassay reproductive panel available on the market.”
The assay features a broad dynamic range with automatic onboard dilution capability, reducing the need for manual sample dilutions. As a part of the standardization, reference ranges have been updated to include additional populations that include women over the age of 40, postmenopausal women, and men. Additionally, in response to changing laboratory environments and the challenges faced in collecting serum samples, Beckman Coulter has further improved the Total βhCG (5th IS) to make it more resilient to preanalytical factors.
"Access" reproductive solutions are part of a comprehensive assay menu featured on the Access and UniCel Immunoassay Systems.
Related Links:
Beckman Coulter
Latest Immunology News
- Multiplex PCR Test Gains CE Marking to Support Respiratory Infection Diagnosis
- Antibody Testing Informs Melioidosis Diagnosis and Surveillance in Emerging Regions
- Exhaled Breath Particles Reveal Virus-Specific Antibodies in the Lower Airways
- Roche Gains FDA Clearance for Flexible Respiratory Pathogen Panel
- Tumor and Immune Biomarkers Linked to Treatment Response in T-Cell Lymphoma
- Prototype Point-of-Care Lateral Flow Test Aims to Improve Neonatal Sepsis Triage
- Compact Immunoanalyzer Gains CE Mark for Testing Across Local Care Settings
- COVID-19 and Flu Combo Test Launches With FDA Clearance
- Immune and Inflammatory Markers May Help Assess CAR T-Cell Complication Risk
- Antibody Profiling Predicts Inflammatory Bowel Disease Years Before Diagnosis
- Immune Profiling Identifies Early Maternal Autoantibodies Linked to Preterm Birth Risk
- Longitudinal Blood Testing Reveals Changes in Allergen Sensitization During Childhood
- Immune Profiling Initiative Aims to Improve Bone Marrow Analysis in Leukemia
- FDA Approval Adds Automated Testing Option for Parvovirus B19 Serology
- Blood-Based Immune Aging Map Could Help Spot Disease Risk Earlier
- Blood-Based Immune Signal Could Reveal Lung Cancer Risk Before Tumors Develop
Channels
Clinical Chemistry
view channel
Antibody-Free Blood Test Detects Rheumatic Heart Disease Biomarker
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) causes hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, disproportionately affecting children and young adults in low- and middle-income countries. Early detection remains challenging... Read more
Blood and Spinal Fluid Biomarker May Help Track Early Huntington’s Disease
Huntington’s disease is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the HTT gene that progressively affects movement, cognition, behavior, and independence. Although mutation carriers can be identified... Read moreMolecular Diagnostics
view channel
Liquid Biopsy Expands Insights Into Treatment Response and Tumor Alterations
Treatment selection in advanced breast and lung cancers can be challenging when traditional biomarkers are absent and genomic findings alone do not fully clarify which therapies may be effective.... Read more
Genomic Sequencing Identifies Actionable Findings to Guide Rare Disease Management
Rare disease diagnosis can be challenging when patients remain without definitive answers and clinicians need information that can guide management beyond the initial genetic finding. Genomic sequencing... Read moreCombined Blood Tests Help Clarify Colorectal Cancer Recurrence Risk
Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality. For patients undergoing curative-intent surgery for metastatic disease, predicting... Read more
Blood Test Identifies Candidates for Targeted Radiotherapy in Advanced Prostate Cancer
Advanced prostate cancer can progress despite hormone-based treatment, with imaging sometimes revealing only limited areas of active disease. For men with hormone-resistant oligoprogressive prostate cancer,... Read moreHematology
view channel
Serial Blood Samples Reveal Leukemia’s Evolution Decades Before Diagnosis
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer affecting approximately 2,700 people in the U.K. annually, with only about one in six patients surviving five years after diagnosis.... Read more
Study Confirms Blood Products Remain Viable After Three Weeks in the Arctic
Trauma and hemorrhage care in Canada’s High Arctic is complicated by long evacuation times, extreme temperatures, and limited access to blood products. In remote military and northern communities, reaching... Read moreMicrobiology
view channel
Automated Microbial Identification and Susceptibility System Gains FDA Clearance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a leading global public health threat, causing an estimated 1.27 million deaths annually. The growing challenge of diagnosing and treating resistant infections highlights... Read more
Gastrointestinal Flex Assay Gains EU Certification for Tailored Pathogen Testing
Gastrointestinal infections can be caused by bacterial, viral, or parasitic pathogens, making targeted test selection important for clinical laboratories. Fixed syndromic panels may be broader than necessary... Read more
Molecular Panels Gain FDA Clearance for One-Hour Gastrointestinal Pathogen Testing
Acute infectious gastroenteritis, caused by viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens, remains a significant global health concern that inflames the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting,... Read morePathology
view channel
Review Highlights Progress and Validation Needs for AI in Digital Pathology
Pathology remains the gold standard for disease diagnosis, but clinical laboratories face growing demands for faster, more reproducible diagnostic and prognostic workflows. Digital pathology based on whole-slide... Read more
Breakthrough-Designated Cytology Test Supports Oral Cancer Risk Assessment
Oral cavity and oropharyngeal cancers remain a significant diagnostic challenge, with more than 60,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed in 2026 and more than 13,000 expected to die from these cancers.... Read more
AI Pathology Approach Closely Aligns With Breast Cancer Genomic Risk Classification
In early-stage breast cancer, precision oncology relies on biological information to guide personalized treatment decisions. Because access to tissue-based genomic testing may be limited, there is growing... Read moreTechnology
view channel
New qPCR Master Mixes Offer Broad Compatibility for Routine Research
Quantitative PCR (qPCR) workflows require consistent reagent performance across instruments and assay formats. Laboratories must also manage costs without changing established protocols.... Read more
Multi-Agent AI Framework Supports Laboratory Quality and Workflow Monitoring
Clinical laboratories analyze blood, urine, tissue, and other bodily fluids to support disease diagnosis and treatment. Rising test volumes, workforce shortages, and increasingly complex diagnostics are... Read moreIndustry
view channel
Partnership Aims to Bring Blood-Based Alzheimer’s Testing to Japan
Alzheimer’s disease remains a growing diagnostic challenge as populations age and cognitive impairment becomes more common. In Japan, government-supported estimates project that approximately 4.... Read more







.jpg)