Partners prepare market launch and clinical evaluation project
Holzgerlingen, Germany, September 26, 2012 -- Curetis AG today announced that Curetis and Mediphos have closed an exclusive distribution agreement for the Netherlands. Mediphos is an experienced independent distributor with a clear focus on molecular diagnostics and an emphasis on microbiology-based applications.
Under the agreement, both companies will prepare the market roll-out of Curetis´ Unyvero™ Solution and the Unyvero™ P50 Pneumonia Application. Moreover, Mediphos will be responsible for a clinical evaluation project in the Netherlands and will present the Unyvero Solution™ at the autumn meeting of the National Microbiology Association (NVVM) on November 15, 2012.
The Dutch target market for the Unyvero™ Solution covers approximately 40 hospitals (both university and large general hospitals). Significant market research has been jointly conducted by the partners to define a clear-cut execution strategy. Positive feedback from clinical opinion leaders and major hospitals has led to a two-pronged approach: while all target hospitals will be approached in parallel, the first Unyvero™ instrument system will be placed at one of the country’s leading university hospitals where a clinical evaluation by clinical opinion leaders will be initiated right away.
“This agreement is another milestone in our commercialization strategy and will further accelerate the international availability of the Unyvero solution,” said Oliver Schacht, CEO of Curetis AG. “Given the close proximity and the many similarities between our home markets and the Netherlands, we have decided to make this a strategic priority early on. We believe that Mediphos is the ideal partner, combining decades of relevant IVD and microbiology expertise and the entrepreneurial spirit and drive it takes to introduce such a totally novel platform concept.”
André van der Mark, CEO of Mediphos commented: “Curetis´ Unyvero solution nicely fits into our strategic focus of growing our microbiology franchise and knowledge whereas we have a presence in almost all Dutch hospitals with some of our products. The Netherlands is one of the leaders in dealing with antibiotic resistance issues such as MRSA, but we realize that staying at the cutting edge in antibiotic resistance detection and combating its spread requires much more comprehensive approaches such as the Unyvero Pneumonia Application.”
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About the Unyvero™ System
The CE-marked Unyvero™ System is a versatile hardware platform for the detection of a broad panel of bacteria and antibiotic resistances from a single sample in one run. It processes a disposable cartridge providing the necessary reagents to complete the analysis from sample to result.
The platform enables the DNA-based testing of all clinically relevant samples in a fully automated, unsupervised analysis process requiring only few, quick manual preparation steps. The analysis thus can be performed with minimal operator time and without the need of skilled staff or special infrastructure.
Thereby, clinically relevant information is available within about four hours to support an informed therapy decision as early as possible.
The first CE-marked Unyvero™ Cartridge, Unyvero™ P50, focuses on pneumonia testing and simultaneously analyses 39 DNA targets. The second Unyvero™ application for implant & tissue infections is already in product development. Cartridges for additional indications, such as blood stream infections and tuberculosis, are in preparation.
About Curetis AG
Founded in 2007, Curetis AG is a molecular diagnostics company which focuses on the development and commercialization of reliable, fast and cost-effective products for diagnosing severe infectious diseases. The diagnostic solutions of Curetis AG will enable rapid multiparameter pathogen and antibiotic resistance detection in only a few hours, a process that today can take up to days or even weeks with other techniques.
To date, Curetis has raised total funds of over € 36.6 million (~ USD 50 million) and has signed global collaboration agreements with Heraeus Medical, Sanofi Pasteur and Cempra Inc. as well as several international distribution agreements for its Unyvero™ Solution. The company is based in Holzgerlingen near Stuttgart, Germany.
About Mediphos Medical Supplies bv
Mediphos Medical Supplies bv, a subsidiary of Mediphos Group, is a dynamic and flexible company specializing in importing, marketing and distributing in-vitro diagnostics such as kits, reagents, rapid tests and smaller instruments for clinical laboratories. Its aim is to provide high quality products from a selective range of suppliers combined with a high degree of service and knowledge at a reasonable price. Within doctor’s offices delivers professional tests that give a reliable result in a few minutes – such as CRP, cholesterol and urine analyses. These tests address the increasing demand for fast and reliable point-of-care solutions. Mediphos is ISO certified according to ISO 9001:2008 and a member of the Dutch Diagnostics Association (Diagned). The company was established in 2000 and is based in Renkum, the Netherlands.
Contact
Curetis AG
Max-Eyth-Str. 42
71088 Holzgerlingen, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 7031 49195-10
ce@phergvf.pbz
www.curetis.com
Mediphos Medical Supplies BV
Industrieweg 12B
6871KA
Renkum
Tel. +31 317 351838
www.mediphos.com
Media Inquiries:
akampion
Dr. Ludger Wess / Ines-Regina Buth
Managing Partners
vasb@nxnzcvba.pbz
Tel. +49 40 88 16 59 64
Tel. +49 30 23 63 27 68
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