We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
LGC Clinical Diagnostics

Download Mobile App




Groundbreaking Diagnostic Platform Provides AST Results With Unprecedented Speed

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 05 Apr 2024
Print article
Image: The LifeScale AST automated benchtop system has received U.S. FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Affinity Biosensors)
Image: The LifeScale AST automated benchtop system has received U.S. FDA clearance (Photo courtesy of Affinity Biosensors)

A groundbreaking diagnostic platform that delivers antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) results with unprecedented speed can become an important tool for healthcare professionals to manage bacteremia.

The LifeScale AST system from Affinity Biosensors (Santa Barbara, CA, USA) is a state-of-the-art diagnostic platform that rapidly identifies the most effective antibiotics for treating dangerous bloodstream infections. This revolutionary system enables healthcare professionals to make well-informed treatment decisions, enhancing patient recovery, minimizing treatment costs, and promoting responsible antibiotic use. The fully automated benchtop system utilizes unique microfluidic sensing to measure the masses of individual microbes at high throughput, facilitating rapid and precise evaluation of phenotypic response to antibiotics. It delivers accurate results for carbapenem-resistant and multi-drug-resistant organisms in less than five hours—substantially reducing the time required for selecting the most appropriate antibiotic therapies for patients.

Designed to fit seamlessly into existing clinical workflows, LifeScale AST features simple, chemistry-free sample preparation and processing, high throughput, and cost-effective operations. It also boasts room-temperature consumables storage and compatibility with existing organism identification systems. The system's user-friendly touchscreen interface automates the workflow, significantly reducing the minimal hands-on time required for technicians. It provides minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results as well as interpretive (SIR) results using CLSI or FDA breakpoints. The capability to process multiple samples simultaneously further enhances the system's utility in a clinical setting. Following the initial launch of the Gram-negative blood culture AST panel plans for additional AST tests are underway. The LifeScale AST system has now received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

"We are very proud of achieving FDA clearance for the LifeScale AST system,” said Dr. Ken Babcock, CEO of Affinity Biosensors. “This revolutionary technology has the potential to transform how infections associated with sepsis are treated. We are very grateful to our dedicated team and partners who have worked tirelessly to bring LifeScale AST to market. We are especially gratified to witness this performance borne out in our collaborations with healthcare institutions nationwide."

New
Gold Member
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Detection Kit
Pneumocystis Jirovecii Real Time RT-PCR Kit
Automated Blood Typing System
IH-500 NEXT
New
Silver Member
Apolipoprotein A-I Assay
Apo A-I Assay
New
Vitamin B12 Test
CHORUS CLIA VIT B12

Print article

Channels

Clinical Chemistry

view channel
Image: The new saliva-based test for heart failure measures two biomarkers in about 15 minutes (Photo courtesy of Trey Pittman)

POC Saliva Testing Device Predicts Heart Failure in 15 Minutes

Heart failure is a serious condition where the heart muscle is unable to pump sufficient oxygen-rich blood throughout the body. It ranks as a major cause of death globally and is particularly fatal for... Read more

Hematology

view channel
Image: The smartphone technology measures blood hemoglobin levels from a digital photo of the inner eyelid (Photo courtesy of Purdue University)

First-Of-Its-Kind Smartphone Technology Noninvasively Measures Blood Hemoglobin Levels at POC

Blood hemoglobin tests are among the most frequently conducted blood tests, as hemoglobin levels can provide vital insights into various health conditions. However, traditional tests are often underutilized... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: Under a microscope, DNA repair is visible as bright green spots (“foci”) in the blue-stained cell DNA. Orange highlights actively growing cancer cells (Photo courtesy of WEHI)

Simple Blood Test Could Detect Drug Resistance in Ovarian Cancer Patients

Every year, hundreds of thousands of women across the world are diagnosed with ovarian and breast cancer. PARP inhibitors (PARPi) therapy has been a major advancement in treating these cancers, particularly... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.