SpeeDx Receives CE-IVD Clearance for ResistancePlus MG FleXible

SpeeDx Pty, Ltd. today announced Resistance Plus® MG FleXible for the Cepheid GeneXpert® System, detecting the sexually transmitted infection (STI) Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen) and markers associated with azithromycin resistance, received CE-IVD mark for sale in Europe. This is the first test to be launched under Cepheid’s FleXible Cartridge programme, partnering with SpeeDx – a trusted assay manufacturer – to provide access to the GeneXpert sample-to-answer FleXible cartridge.

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“ResistancePlus MG FleXible represents both an evolution of our technology and of Resistance Guided Therapy for Mgen”, said Colin Denver SpeeDx CEO. “There is considerable interest by clinicians and laboratories alike, as it will now be even easier to adhere to international and local management guidelines and provide clinically relevant and timely information to manage the growing problem of macrolide resistance in Mgen infections.”

Mgen can cause symptoms such as urethritis, cervicitis, endometritis and pelvic inflammatory disease, and has been linked to reproductive health complications including pre-term birth and infertility.^1,2 Macrolide antibiotics, specifically azithromycin, are the first-line treatment for the rapidly growing problem of Mgen, but resistance to these antibiotics has increased up to 50% in several countries.^4-6 There are limited alternative treatment options, many of which are expensive, difficult to access, or associated with undesirable side-effects.^4,5 Current Mgen guidelines focus on extending the utility of azithromycin by testing for macrolide resistance-associated mutations and stratifying patient treatment accordingly.^1-3

“SpeeDx offers unique technology for simultaneous detection of pathogens and drug resistance directly from clinical specimens. Together, we have leveraged the open architecture of our new FleXible cartridge to enable detection of this emerging drug-resistant pathogen on the GeneXpert System,” said David H. Persing, M.D., Ph.D., Cepheid's Chief Medical and Technology Officer. “The ResistancePlus MG Flexible cartridge offers best-in-class performance in an easy to use, on-demand format to address a significant medical need in symptomatic individuals, and adds to the growing portfolio of STI testing options available on our platform.”

Timely detection of antibiotic resistant infections enables Resistance Guided Therapy, resulting in better treatment of the disease for patients, reduced potential for spreading infection among vulnerable populations, and supporting antibiotic stewardship to combat rising antibiotic resistance.

Resistance Plus® MG FleXible will be exclusively distributed by Cepheid.

About SpeeDx

SpeeDx has developed a molecular diagnostics test portfolio, principally for infectious diseases, that provides both identification as well as therapeutic guidance capabilities. The company is based in Australia with offices in Austin and London, and distributors across Europe. SpeeDx specializes in molecular diagnostic solutions that go beyond simple detection to offer comprehensive information for improved patient management. The SpeeDx Resistance Plus® MG open-platform assay is CE marked for sale in Europe, TGA approved for sale in Australia and clinical trials are being finalised for submission to the U.S. FDA. Products in the SpeeDx portfolio focus on multiplex diagnostics for sexually transmitted infection (STI), antibiotic resistance markers, and respiratory disease.

For more information on SpeeDx please see: https://plexpcr.com

1. Jensen JS, Cusini M, Gomberg M, Moi H. 2016. 2016 European guideline on Mycoplasma genitalium infections. J Eur Acad Dermatol Venereol. PMID: 27505296.
2. https://www.bashhguidelines.org/media/1146/ngu-update-05_2017-final.pdf
3. http://www.sti.guidelines.org.au/sexually-transmissible-infections/mycoplasma-genitalium
4. Read T R H, Fairley C K, Murray G L, et al. Outcomes of resistance-guided sequential treatment of Mycoplasma genitalium infections: a prospective evaluation, Clinical Infectious Diseases, ciy477, https://doi.org/10.1093/cid/ciy477
5. Getman D, Jiang A, O'Donnell M, Cohen S. 2016. Mycoplasma genitalium prevalence, coinfection, and macrolide antibiotic resistance frequency in a multicenter clinical study cohort in the United States. J Clin Microbiol 54:2278-2283.
6. Murray GL, Bradshaw CS, Bissessor M, et al. Increasing Macrolide and Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Mycoplasma genitalium. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2017;23(5):809-812. doi:10.3201/eid2305.161745.
7. Miller WC, Ford CA, Morris M, et al. Prevalence of chlamydial and gonococcal infections among young adults in the United States. JAMA 2004; 291:2229–2236.
8. Unemo, M. & Jensen, J.S. ‘Antimicrobial-resistant sexually transmitted infections: gonorrhoea and Mycoplasma genitalium’. 2016. Nat. Rev. Urol.268. Published online 10 Jan 2017. doi:10.1038/nrurol

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Contact information

SpeeDx:
Europe, Australia, New Zealand:
Madeline O’Donoghue
+61 2 9209 4170
madelineo@speedx.com.au

USA:
Rick Roose
+1 415.202.4445
roi.roose@gmail.com