BD Biosciences to Collaborate With ReaMetrix in Development of Dried Reagents
Limited access to laboratory testing facilities is one of the primary causes of improper CD4 monitering in managing HIV therapies in developing countries; one of the biggest challenges is dealing with a lack of adequate transport, storage and use of temperature-semsitive products and blood samples. A collaboration between BD Biosciences and ReaMetrix suggests an end to these concerns. As reported on medicalnewstoday.com on Jan. 14th, BD, along with ReaMatrix, announced plans to develop dried reagents for its BD FACSCount Flow Cytometry System which is widely used in the CD4 monitering of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries. This development could eliminate the need for refrigeration, allowing more sites to offer CD4 counting.
BD Biosciences, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced
today a new strategic collaboration with ReaMetrix, a private biotechnology
company based in Bangalore, India, to develop dried reagents for its BD
FACSCount™ Flow Cytometry System, which is used throughout Africa, Asia,
Eastern Europe and Latin America for CD4
monitoring of HIV/AIDS patients. Financial terms were not disclosed.
"For more than a decade, the BD FACSCount System has served as the system
of choice for CD4 monitoring in global HIV/AIDS treatment programs, known for
its simplicity, robust performance and reliability," said Bill Rhodes,
President, BD Biosciences. "Collaborating with ReaMetrix, a
state-of-the-art R&D company in India, offers BD the opportunity to
increase our reach even further into resource-limited settings where
refrigeration is unavailable."
Poor access to laboratory testing facilities is one of the predominant issues
affecting patient access to CD4 monitoring in developing countries. CD4 testing
assesses a patient's immune system and guides clinicians in the proper
administration of anti-HIV therapies. Many countries lack the needed
infrastructure to ensure timely and reliable testing for their HIV/AIDS
patients. A shortage of skilled laboratory professionals, along with the
significant challenges of transporting, storing and using temperature-sensitive
products and blood samples, are real barriers to adequate, appropriate and
cost-effective treatment in these resource-limited settings.
ReaMetrix' innovative dried-down reagent process opens up the opportunity to
address these unmet needs directly. This dried-down delivery format eliminates
the need for refrigeration and exhibits a high degree of correlation with the
conventional liquid format, allowing more locations to provide CD4 counting.
"At ReaMetrix, we are excited about launching this collaboration with BD
to help develop and provide solutions to some of the fundamental challenges
facing clinicians and laboratory professionals in developing countries,"
said ReaMetrix Chief Executive Officer Bala S. Manian, Ph.D. "In BD, we
see a great strategic collaborator not only with extensive global experience
and reach, but also a strong commitment to improving global health."
