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Company News: Curetis and Acumen to Collaborate on Unyvero Sepsis Test and ASEAN Distribution

– Curetis licenses Acumen’s proprietary sepsis biomarker panel for use with Unyvero Platform

– Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub in Singapore to support Acumen in development and clinical validation of the panel

– Acumen to distribute Unyvero product line in ASEAN countries

Curetis AG, a developer of next-level molecular diagnostic solutions, today announced that it has obtained a world-wide, non-exclusive license to AcuSept, a proprietary biomarker panel from Acumen Research Laboratories Pte Ltd. (Singapore). The panel is in advanced clinical development and will be used by Curetis and Acumen for the joint development and clinical validation of a sepsis host response test on the Unyvero Platform. Acumen’s activities in Singapore will be supported by NUS Enterprise and the Diagnostics Development (DxD) Hub, a national initiative led by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), which aims to accelerate diagnostics innovations into market-ready products.

Separately, Curetis and Acumen have signed an exclusive, multi-year distribution agreement for the Unyvero product line in ASEAN markets,  which will initially include Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. The agreement, effective immediately, comprises Unyvero Systems and P55 and i60 ITI Application Cartridges. Acumen will seek product registration in these markets. This agreement, through which Acumen will act as a commercial hub for Curetis in the ASEAN markets, will complement the recently announced Greater China distribution partnership between Curetis and Beijing Clear Biotech, giving Curetis a strong sales and marketing presence in Asia.

The AcuSept biomarker panel is designed to accurately detect changes in a patient’s immune system indicative of pathogens in the blood stream and of a systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by these microorganisms. The presence of both SIRS and infections are the medical criteria for sepsis, a severe disease with poor prognosis and an often fatal outcome: approximately 50% of people with severe sepsis and 80% of people with septic shock die. With an estimated incidence of 26 million cases worldwide per year, sepsis is among the most frequent severe medical conditions and a significant economic burden to the healthcare systems. A fast and clear distinction between patients with sepsis and those who only have either infections or SIRS by appropriate tests is key to an effective therapy and survival.

Curetis expects to launch a sepsis host response test in Europe in late 2017 at the earliest. The registration process for the current Unyvero Systems and Application Cartridges in ASEAN countries is expected to take up to one year.