Jena, June 15, 2010, SIRS-Lab GmbH and Analytik Jena AG, also based in Jena, will be strengthened by working together in the field of molecular sepsis diagnostics. As part of this cooperation, Analytik Jena subsidiary AJ Innuscreen GmbH will provide the partner with a platform for automated isolation of nucleic acids with the associated reagent system worth almost half a million euro. "Analytik Jena provides us with special reagents and instruments, tailored to our developments, for the fully automated extraction of DNA in whole blood samples. The clinical studies currently underway to validate the test should create the conditions to start marketing our sepsis diagnostics very soon", explained Barbara Staehelin, CEO of SIRS-Lab GmbH.
Analytik Jena AG concentrates its biotechnological expertise in the Life Science division. Its service includes automated individual and complete solutions for molecular diagnostics. The wide range of products is made possible by synergies between Analytik Jena and its subsidiaries AJ Cybertron, AJ Innuscreen, AJ Roboscreen, AJ eBiochip, CyBio AG and Biometra GmbH. AJ Innuscreen, headquartered in Berlin, was founded in 2005 for the development and manufacture of kits for molecular diagnostics.
"In the field of sepsis diagnosis, speed plays a vital role in identifying infections and detecting pathogens. Analytik Jena's cooperation with SIRS-Lab offers great potential for the challenging area of diagnostics", commented Klaus Berka, CEO of Analytik Jena AG.
SIRS-Lab is a Jena-based biotechnology company which develops and produces test systems for molecular diagnosis of life-threatening infections. SIRS-Lab is a member of the German Sepsis Society and works with many internationally recognized partners. One significant partner is the university hospital of the Friedrich Schiller University of Jena, which in January 2010 received the green light from an international jury of experts to develop an integrated research and treatment center for sepsis and related illnesses. This development is focused primarily on enabling rapid and targeted antibiotic therapy for sepsis.
About SIRS-Lab
Located in Jena, Germany, SIRS-Lab is a molecular diagnostic company which develops and commercializes unique and innovative products to identify and monitor life-threatening infections such as sepsis, one of the major causes of death in hospitals. In the year 2000, SIRS-Lab was founded as a university spin off in the sepsis hub Jena, Germany. The company has developed its proprietary sample preparation technology LOOXSTER®, and applies it in VYOO®, its CE-marked diagnostic product for sepsis diagnosis. With its upcoming product SIQNATURE®, the company also plans to assess the body´s immune response to infection by means of gene expression monitoring. Further information on www.sirslab.com
About Analytik Jena
Founded in 1990 as a sales and service company for analytical technology, Analytik Jena AG has established itself as one of the leading manufacturers of analytical and bioanalytical systems for industrial and scientific applications. Since the birth of the company, its success has been based on its sustainable strategy of combining the long-standing innovative strength and high-end products of Jena/Thuringia with the growth potential of international markets. In the three symbiotically related business units for specialised instruments "Analytical Instrumentation", "Life Science" and "Optics", Analytik Jena offers analytical, bioanalytical and optical products in a modern and popular segment of technology. For more information, visit www.analytik-jena.de.
About sepsis and life threatening infections
Sepsis occurs when microbes enter the bloodstream and trigger a severe inflammatory response by the patient´s body. This is often life-threatening, and the search for the appropriate antibiotic or antifungal treatment can be a race against time. This is a challenging area for new diagnostics because the amounts of bacteria or fungi that cause the disease are extremely small. Traditional diagnostic methods take several days to complete. With molecular diagnostics, the result can be delivered on the first day. Sepsis affects more than 2 million people per year and is the second leading cause of death in hospitals.
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