BOND and Lab21 collaborate to develop new molecular testing system BD MAX Aspergillus test

BALTIMORE and CAMBRIDGE, England, August 3, 2011/PRNewswire /-

-the agreement involves a planned action leading to the menu of content-rich systems tests

BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton) global medical technology company(, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), and Lab21, a world leader in personal health, have today announced a collaboration to develop a molecular diagnosis of last generation test to detect fungi Aspergillus, which pose a threat to life, using the fully automated molecular test BD MAX ™.

Potential to detect Aspergillus in blood using real-time Polymerase chain reaction is a topic of great interest for doctors, as it offers strategies for diagnosis and control more sensitive and accurate for final and primary detection of the aspergillosis ”, said Graham Mullis, Managing Director of Lab21.

Infections caused by Aspergillus is a major cause of death by infection in immunocompromised patients, and an estimated 10 million people in the world at risk each year. Studies have shown that the diagnosis of Aspergillus infection followed by an anti-fungal treatment 10 days after infection reduces mortality, from 90% to 40% – emphasizing the need for rapid and acute tests. Real-time Polymerase chain reaction could offer important advantages in the sensitivity and specificity to the current techniques of cultivation.

This agreement with Lab21 has been designed in order to add an innovative test to the menu of test growing system DB MAX to help doctors and professionals of the laboratories with rapid and accurate information on which to base treatment decisions important molecular ”, said Tom pollen, general director of BD Diagnostics – Diagnostic Systems. To collaborate with the best developers in his class of in vitro diagnostics, such as Lab21, our goal is to get the system DB MAX to be an indispensable tool in clinical laboratories, providing a menu of test growing in a fully automated platform ”.

According to pollen, BD plans carry new trials to MAX bond system in a wide range of disease categories. With this announcement, it now has more than 14 trials in the range of the menu of featured content of the system DB MAX. In combination with the ability to open, standardized workflow and full automation, the BD MAX system will enable laboratories to consolidate and standardize their molecular test to build programs that meet the current and future needs.

About BD

BD, a major global company in the medical technology develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The company is dedicated to improving the health of people around the world. Bond focuses on improving therapies of drugs, improving the quality and speed of diagnosis of infectious diseases, and the advancement of research and discovery of new drugs and vaccines. The capacities of BD are instrumental to combat some of the most pressing diseases of the world. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, BD employs nearly 29,000 people in more than 50 countries around the world. The company provides its services to health institutions, researchers of the science of life, clinical laboratories, industry and public in general. If you would like more information please visit http://www.bd.com.

About Lab21