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MeMed partners with Italy’s DiaSorin to commercialize bacteria vs virus test
Test to be integrated in over 5,000 DiaSorin analyzers, allowing physicians to differentiate between bacterial and viral infections
Shoshanna Solomon is The Times of Israel's Startups and Business reporter
MeMed Diagnostics, a Haifa-based firm that develops diagnostic solutions to monitor the body’s immune state, said it will partner with Italian diagnostic firm DiaSorin to commercialize a test that is able to distinguish between bacterial and viral infections.
This is the first of the Israeli startup’s tests to be commercialized with a partner, and it is also the first commercial partnership in the host immune response space, MeMed said in a statement on Tuesday.
The test developed by MeMed will be integrated into over 5,000 DiaSorin analyzers, and will enable physicians to distinguish accurately between bacterial and viral infections, supporting faster and better-informed treatment and patient management decisions, the statement said.
Distinguishing between bacterial and viral origins in acute infections is a challenge for health care providers. Current practices, such as medical history, physical findings and other medical tests provide incomplete answers, MeMed said in the statement. Failing to recognize the trigger of an infection may significantly alter the whole trajectory of patient care, including the inappropriate use of antibiotics that contribute to the growing global threat posed by antimicrobial resistance.
There is a “pressing need” for rapid and reliable information that can help clinicians distinguish between bacterial and viral infections, the statement said.
MeMed’s BV test, which will be commercialized with DiaSorin, was developed along with academic centers and commercial partners and is backed by data from over 15,000 patients. Multinational, double-blind clinical studies showing an effectiveness of over 90% in differentiating between bacterial and viral infections. MeMed’s BV product has the European CE mark of approval and the Israeli Health Ministry’s Medical Device Registration and Approval clearance.
The partnership will help “scale up” the new test, said Carlo Rosa, CEO of DiaSorin, in the statement. “This is an absolute breakthrough from a clinical standpoint, also considering the importance of reaching the most accurate and informed decisions for our patients during these difficult times.”
Headquartered in Italy and listed at the Italian Stock Exchange in the FTSE MIB Index, DiaSorin is an expert in the in vitro diagnostic (IVD) field, having been developing, producing and marketing reagent kits used by diagnostic laboratories worldwide for 50 years.
Founded in 2009 by Eran Eden and Kfir Oved, MeMed has raised $130 million to date from investors including OurCrowd, Horizons Ventures, Chinese holding conglomerate Ping An Group, and Israeli insurer Clal Insurance, according to the database of Start-Up Nation Central.
