New A(H1N1) Strain Added to bioMérieux’s Molecular Diagnostic Test NucliSENS EasyQ® Influenza A/B

In line with its long-standing commitment to the fight against infectious diseases, bioMérieux has developed this new test to meet the needs of reference laboratories conducting pandemic surveillance. Based on bioMérieux’s NASBA® Real-Time molecular technology, the test runs on the NucliSENS EasyQ® platform. It can detect the new H1N1 strain in less than 3 hours and is intended for Research Use Only. A CE marked version will be available in 2010.

“Since the first signs of the pandemic, bioMérieux has been contributing its expertise in infectious disease diagnostics and working with health authorities worldwide,” said Stéphane Bancel, bioMérieux’s Chief Executive Officer. “Thanks to the agility and diligence of bioMérieux’s R&D teams, we’ve been able to release this new version of our NucliSENS Influenza kit in less than 6 months.”

bioMérieux is playing an active role in the A(H1N1) pandemic and offers a wide range of products. The rapid test QuickVue® Influenza A+B is used for preliminary screening*. When results need to be confirmed, bioMérieux’s range covers the complete cycle of molecular testing: extraction of nucleic acids with NucliSENS® easyMAG® and detection with EasyQ Influenza A/B. The company has also increased production and supply capacity of culture media used by pharmaceutical companies for vaccine quality control.

*Distributed by bioMérieux outside the United States, Japan and Scandinavian countries