Published on January 5, 2010 at 3:56 AM
Bio-Rad Laboratories,
Inc. (NYSE: BIO) and (NYSE: BIO.B), a multinational manufacturer and
distributor of life science research and clinical diagnostics products, and
Axis-Shield plc (LSE: ASD) (OSE: ASD), an international in-vitro
diagnostics (IVD) company, today announced the launch of Bio-Rad's
BioPlex® 2200 Anti-CCP test for the early detection of rheumatoid
arthritis. The assay, which will run on Bio-Rad's BioPlex® 2200 system,
measures anti-CCP (anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies), a novel
marker that has been shown to have superior specificity in the diagnosis of
rheumatoid arthritis. The BioPlex 2200 Anti-CCP kit is based on
Axis-Shield's proprietary anti-CCP technology. The assay is available for
sale in certain countries outside the U.S.
"The anti-CCP testing market is one of the fastest growing markets in
autoimmune diagnostics," said John Goetz, Bio-Rad Vice President and Group
Manager of Clinical Diagnostics. "The addition of this assay will add
significantly to our growing menu of autoimmune tests on the BioPlex 2200
system."
"We are very pleased that Bio-Rad has reached this important commercial
milestone in our agreement and believe that availability on the BioPlex
system will help expand the market for this important early marker for this
debilitating condition," said Ian Gilham, Axis-Shield CEO. "The measurement
of these antibodies has recently been cited as a key parameter in the
definitive diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis by the influential American
College of Rheumatology."
The BioPlex 2200 system is a fully automated, random-access multiplex
testing platform with an assay menu targeting autoimmune diagnostics and
infectious diseases. In the U.S., the BioPlex 2200 Anti-CCP kit is pending
clearance by the FDA.
SOURCE: Bio-Rad Laboratories