BBI Licenses Nucleic Acid Technology to IDS

The isothermal nucleic acid technology developed by BBI Holdings PLC (Cardiff, UK), a point-of-care diagnostics company, has been licensed to ImmunoDiagnostic Systems Limited (IDS, Tyne and Wear, UK).

IDS will use this nucleic acid technology to further develop a test for the rapid detection of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), commonly called the "super bug,” in a format suitable for routine use. The company is also developing further tests for hospital-acquired infections and aims to have a test for vancomycin resistant Staphylococcus aureus in 2006. The test will considerably reduce the time it takes to obtain a result to only three and one-half hours after an overnight enrichment culture. Current results on patients screened for MRSA are generally not available for 48-72 hours, resulting in reduced patient throughput, disruption, and added costs to hospitals.

This announcement comes soon after a UK National Audit Office (NAO) survey reported that hospital-acquired infections such as MRSA are costing the National Health Service a billion pounds a year, in terms of additional treatment and ward closures. The NAO also estimated that around 5,000 Britons die each year from hospital-acquired infections.

"We are delighted to have reached an agreement with IDS that will allow the technology and the test for MRSA to be developed for laboratory use whilst we remain focused on our point-of-care activities,” said Julian Baines, managing director, BBI Holdings.



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