Latest news with #ESCMID
Korea Herald
03-05-2025
- Business
- Korea Herald
Seegene's CURECA(TM) Emerges as a Potential Game Changer in End-to-End PCR Automation
SEOUL, South Korea, May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Seegene Inc., a global leader in molecular diagnostics (MDx) solutions, has attracted strong interest after the company presented a conceptual video of its CURECA TM at the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID Global 2025) in Vienna, Austria. Industry professionals recognized CURECA TM as a promising advancement in automating the entire PCR diagnostic workflow — from primary sample handling to result analysis. In response to the interest received, Seegene provided additional opportunities to showcase the solution at the ESCMID Global 2025. More than 2,300 attendees — including dignitaries from Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and Canada — visited Seegene's booth to view the conceptual video introducing the CURECA TM. "It was evident that the Seegene booth attracted considerable attention at ESCMID," said one professional from academia. Experts Recognize CURECA TM as a Game Changer in Molecular Testing Automation The CURECA TM is designed to automate the entire PCR diagnostic process. It can handle various specimen types required in the pre-treatment stage in MDx – such as stool, urine, blood, and sputum—as well as perform the complete PCR testing workflow following sample loading. The following are select comments from industry professionals who previewed Seegene's CURECA TM at ESCMID Global 2025: "I hold high expectations for the fully automated PCR molecular diagnostics, as CURECA TM not only eliminates human error inherent in manual processes but also enables efficient testing without time or workforce constraints." "We often encounter specimen types that require careful and time-consuming manual pre-processing. A system that can automate this step could represent a true paradigm shift. This level of automation is transformative – a real game changer – and unlike any existing solution. I eagerly await its launch." "If paired with our in-house diagnostic tool kits, CURECA TM could offer a complete synergy. I hope CURECA TM will be accessible to small and mid-sized facilities." "I'm planning to attend ADLM 2025 in Chicago in July to see the actual device and explore potential collaborations." Customizable Pre-Treatment System Offers Versatility for Future Laboratory Automation The first component of CURECA TM is the Customizable Pre-treatment System (CPS). The CPS is designed to automate the loading of primary sample tubes and operate pre-treatment processing. "The CPS is a modular, automated system intended to streamline pre-treatment processing across diverse diagnostic fields including molecular diagnostics such as PCR, as well as clinical chemistry and immunology assays," said Young-Seag Baeg, Head of Strategy and Planning at Seegene. Numerous healthcare (or laboratory) professionals at ESCMID Global 2025 noted that the conceptual video of CURECA TM showcased the potential of fully automated diagnostic laboratories capable of managing complex workflows associated with pre-treatment. In particular, there was consensus among participants that the CPS, which automates specimen preprocessing, is positioned to bring a significant advancement in in vitro diagnostics as it addresses limitations associated with existing manual procedures that are dependent on trained laboratory professionals. "The turnaround time (TAT) is expected to improve with CURECA TM as the integrated software is capable of adjusting workflows based on reporting deadlines," said a director of a laboratory in Spain. "In particular, for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the CPS will markedly enhance daily laboratory operations. The processing of specimens for STIs involves manual handling of multiple sample tubes, which contributes to operator fatigue. The adoption of the CPS has the potential to be transformational in streamlining routine operations." Modular and Configurable Solution Design for Tailored Diagnostics Following specimen preprocessing, molecular diagnostics typically involve nucleic acid extraction, PCR setup and amplification, and analysis of results. For specimens that do not need preprocessing, Seegene offers the Primary Sample Aliquot System (PAS) as an alternative to the CPS. PAS is designed to allow direct loading and dispensing of primary samples, helping to simplify the workflow. Seegene is pursuing the integration of PAS with a fully automated PCR process through a modular solution concept called CEFA (Customizable & Expandable Full Automation), intended to support diverse laboratory needs with greater flexibility. Seegene aims to leverage the modular architecture of CURECA TM to support a wide range of diagnostic applications. "CURECA TM can be deployed as a comprehensive system or as individual modules—CPS, PAS, and CEFA—configured independently or in combination to accommodate diverse operational needs," said Baeg. Optimizing Lab Workflows Through Space-Saving Design Another key advantage of the CURECA TM 's modular architecture is that it is designed to adapt to different laboratory spaces and layouts. Its flexible design is intended to allow labs to configure the system according to their specific needs, which Seegene sees as essential for enhancing operational efficiency. Laboratory professionals at ESCMID 2025 shared the following perspectives: "The ability to configure a system to meet specific spatial and operational needs of individual laboratories represents a novel and highly compelling approach." "We expect such flexibility will make it possible to implement workflows that deliver high-quality results with minimal reliance on standardized laboratory configurations and staffing resources." "The enthusiastic global response to our concept video and vision for CURECA TM demonstrate the strong demand for next-generation diagnostic solutions," said Jong-Yoon Chun, CEO of Seegene. "We believe CURECA TM has the potential to catalyze meaningful change in the global PCR diagnostics landscape." Please Note: The comments included in this press release are based on actual interviews and on-site discussions. However, in accordance with requests to protect the privacy of the individuals interviewed, all names have been pseudonimized. About Seegene Seegene has more than 20 years of dedicated experience in R&D, manufacturing, and business related to syndromic real-time PCR technologies. This expertise was particularly highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic when Seegene provided over 340 million COVID-19 tests to more than 100 countries worldwide. The core feature of Seegene's syndromic real-time PCR technology is the ability to simultaneously test for 14 pathogens that cause similar signs and symptoms in a single tube with quantitative information. Technology-sharing Initiative The technology-sharing initiative aims to globally share Seegene's advanced diagnostic and data analysis technologies, including syndromic real-time PCR and an automated product development system (SGDDS), with a leading company partnered in each country. Partnering companies will collaborate with local scientists and experts to develop diagnostic tests tailored to the needs of their communities and fields, spanning a wide range of human and non-human diseases. The initiative's ultimate vision is to create "a world free from diseases"—a future where people no longer suffer from infectious diseases and cancer, and where animals and plants thrive without illness.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
ESCMID Global 2025: The challenges of eliminating viral hepatitis
At the 35th European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) Global conference in Vienna, Austria, held from April 11-15, the challenges of eliminating viral hepatitis were discussed. In 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that aside from tuberculosis, viral hepatitis was the most common cause of mortality due to infectious diseases worldwide. Furthermore, despite a slow decrease in the global incidence of viral hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) in recent years, mortality due to these viruses has been increasing. In 2016, WHO launched the Global Health Sector Strategy, which aimed to end viral hepatitis by 2030, defining elimination as a 90% reduction in incidence and 65% reduction in mortality for HBV and HCV from 2015 to 2030. One challenge to achieving this goal is the proportion of undiagnosed individuals living with viral hepatitis. According to WHO, 254 million people globally were estimated to have HBV in 2022, but only approximately 10% had been diagnosed. Likewise, 50 million people globally were estimated to have HCV in 2022, but only approximately 30% had been diagnosed. One current strategy to closing this gap and providing patients with diagnoses and treatments is reflex testing, which is the automatic addition of testing based upon initial test results. With one patient-provided sample, reflex testing can provide complete data for diagnosis, staging, coinfection, and management strategies. For example, if a patient tests positive for the hepatitis B surface antigen, this sample could be reflexed and tested for hepatitis D virus (HDV) antibodies (anti-HDV). Furthermore, if the patient tests positive for anti-HDV, this sample could be reflexed and tested for HDV-RNA. Some advantages of reflex testing include the automatic addition of testing, the fact that active infections can be confirmed using one sample, the streamlining of the diagnostic process without needing additional patient visits, reduced diagnostic delays, increased linkage to care, improved patient outcomes, and enhanced efficiency in laboratory and clinical workflows. The advantages of reflex testing have also been evidenced in primary literature. In a retrospective 2023 study by Rohit Nathani and colleagues that was published in the Journal of Viral Hepatitis, over 11,000 HBV patients were studied for five years, and 12.9% of patients were subsequently screened for HDV infection. Researchers confirmed that 18% of the patients who were found to be positive for HDV would have been missed if the researchers had followed risk-based screening guidelines. Furthermore, the European Association for the Study of the Liver published Clinical Practice Guidelines on HDV in 2023 in which it recommended that all HBV patients should be screened for anti-HDV antibodies at least once, due to evidence that reflex testing of anti-HDV in HBV-positive patients resulted in a five-fold increase in HDV diagnoses. Overall, reflex testing can be useful for generating prevalence estimates and finding undiagnosed individuals. Another strategy to close the gap of undiagnosed individuals living with viral hepatitis is opt-out testing, which is a proactive screening system. This strategy was tested in London hospitals, in which any patient who entered the emergency department and had a blood draw was automatically tested for bloodborne viruses. In a two-year period (April 2022-March 2024), nearly 2,000 HBV infections, over 760 HCV infections, and almost 400 human immunodeficiency virus infections were newly diagnosed. Closing the gap of undiagnosed individuals is clinically important to link patients to the appropriate care, and also offers epidemiological importance to reduce the transmission of these infections. One particular challenge in eliminating viral hepatitis is reaching populations that may experience obstructions in accessing proper healthcare services. These 'hard-to-reach' populations include people who inject drugs, prisoners, immigrant communities, homeless individuals, individuals with mental health disorders, and racial and ethnic minorities. Particular strategies for reaching these populations can include integrating hepatitis care into existing healthcare, expanding access to screening and treatment, expanding harm reduction services, and addressing stigma and lack of awareness. Altogether, effective hepatitis management and elimination strategies require a collaborative and multidisciplinary approach involving the community and healthcare professionals. "ESCMID Global 2025: The challenges of eliminating viral hepatitis" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Forbes
15-04-2025
- Health
- Forbes
New Breakthrough Antibiotic Can Treat Drug-Resistant 'Super Gonorrhoea'
For the first time in 30 years, researchers have discovered a promising new antibiotic treatment for gonorrhoea, a potentially important milestone in the fight against growing antibiotic resistance. Gonorrhoea is one of several sexually transmitted infections which is fast-gaining resistance to existing antibiotic treatments, making it hard to effectively treat patients with drug-resistant strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, the bacteria responsible for the infection. The infection was listed as a 'high' priority in the World Health Organization's Bacterial Priority Pathogens List, 2024. Between 600,000-700,000 cases of gonorrhoea are diagnosed in the U.S. each year according to the CDC. 'Gonorrhoea has developed resistance to nearly all the antibiotics used for its treatment,' according to the CDC website. 'We are currently down to one last recommended and effective class of antibiotics, cephalosporins, to treat this common infection. This is an urgent public health threat because gonorrhoea control in the United States largely relies on our ability to successfully treat the infection.' The newly developed treatment, called gepotidacin, may offer a much-needed alternative to standard gonorrhoea therapies, particularly in light of rising global resistance to existing drugs. Just a few weeks ago, gepotidacin was approved by the FDA for the treatment of urinary tract infections in women and children, following positive trial results. The findings, published in The Lancet and also presented at the 2025 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) conference in Vienna earlier this week, come from a phase 3 clinical trial involving over 600 patients across six countries including the U.K. and the U.S. Gepotidacin works by stopping bacterial DNA replication, essentially stopping the division and multiplication of bacteria. Researchers compared gepotidacin, taken orally, to the current standard treatment combination: an injection of ceftriaxone combined with an oral dose of azithromycin. The study concluded that gepotidacin was as effective as the existing treatment combination and importantly, worked against strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae known to be resistant to the currently recommended treatment. The treatment was found to be safe with no significant side-effects and the authors of the study also note that gepotidacin is only taken orally and could remove the need for an injection, making the treatment more accessible for patients.
The Independent
14-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Potential new antibiotic for gonorrhoea as superbugs rise
Scientists have found the first new antibiotic treatment for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea since the 1990s. Experts discovered that gepotidacin, an antibiotic currently used to treat urinary tract infections, can also treat gonorrhoea. It comes as experts warned that cases of gonorrhoea infections that are resistant to antibiotics are on the rise in England. The UK Health Security Agency said in March that if the problem is not tackled, increased resistance could one day make the sexually transmitted infection (STI) 'untreatable'. But a new study suggests that gepotidacin – which is taken as a pill – may help treat cases and could potentially help to alleviate the threat of treatment-resistant gonorrhoea infections. A new study, published in The Lancet and presented at the ESCMID conference, saw experts compare gepotidacin with the current standard treatment for 'uncomplicated' gonorrhoea in 628 patients. They found that the new pill is as effective as ceftriaxone with azithromycin for treating the infection. It was also found to be able to treat strains of the infection that were resistant to current first-line treatments. The authors said that 'gepotidacin demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin' which offers a 'novel oral treatment option for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea'. 'Gepotidacin is a novel oral antibacterial treatment with the potential to become an alternative option for the treatment of gonococcal infections,' they wrote. Gonorrhoea can usually be treated effectively, although some cases can be resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, which is the first line of treatment. This means the bacteria that causes the infection has developed the ability to survive and multiply even when exposed to the antibiotic. Some cases are also classed as 'extensively drug resistant' – or XDR – meaning the infection did not respond to ceftriaxone or the second line of treatment. Figures from the UKHSA show that in the 15 months from January 2024 to March 2025, there were 17 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea. Thirteen were reported in 2024, with four cases in 2025 so far. This is compared to 16 cases across 2022 and 2023. In the same period, there were nine XDR cases reported – six in 2024 and three in 2025 so far. This is compared to five cases between 2022 and 2023. Ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea was first detected in England in 2015 and 42 cases have since been reported. The UKHSA said that there were about 54,965 gonorrhoea diagnoses at sexual health services in the first nine months of 2024 compared to more than 85,000 in the whole of 2023.
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Potential new antibiotic for gonorrhoea as superbugs rise
Scientists have found the first new antibiotic treatment for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhoea since the 1990s. Experts discovered that gepotidacin, an antibiotic currently used to treat urinary tract infections, can also treat gonorrhoea. It comes as experts warned that cases of gonorrhoea infections that are resistant to antibiotics are on the rise in England. The UK Health Security Agency said in March that if the problem is not tackled, increased resistance could one day make the sexually transmitted infection (STI) 'untreatable'. But a new study suggests that gepotidacin – which is taken as a pill – may help treat cases and could potentially help to alleviate the threat of treatment-resistant gonorrhoea infections. A new study, published in The Lancet and presented at the ESCMID conference, saw experts compare gepotidacin with the current standard treatment for 'uncomplicated' gonorrhoea in 628 patients. They found that the new pill is as effective as ceftriaxone with azithromycin for treating the infection. It was also found to be able to treat strains of the infection that were resistant to current first-line treatments. The authors said that 'gepotidacin demonstrated non-inferiority to ceftriaxone plus azithromycin' which offers a 'novel oral treatment option for uncomplicated urogenital gonorrhoea'. 'Gepotidacin is a novel oral antibacterial treatment with the potential to become an alternative option for the treatment of gonococcal infections,' they wrote. Gonorrhoea can usually be treated effectively, although some cases can be resistant to the antibiotic ceftriaxone, which is the first line of treatment. This means the bacteria that causes the infection has developed the ability to survive and multiply even when exposed to the antibiotic. Some cases are also classed as 'extensively drug resistant' – or XDR – meaning the infection did not respond to ceftriaxone or the second line of treatment. Figures from the UKHSA show that in the 15 months from January 2024 to March 2025, there were 17 cases of ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea. Thirteen were reported in 2024, with four cases in 2025 so far. This is compared to 16 cases across 2022 and 2023. In the same period, there were nine XDR cases reported – six in 2024 and three in 2025 so far. This is compared to five cases between 2022 and 2023. Ceftriaxone-resistant gonorrhoea was first detected in England in 2015 and 42 cases have since been reported. The UKHSA said that there were about 54,965 gonorrhoea diagnoses at sexual health services in the first nine months of 2024 compared to more than 85,000 in the whole of 2023.
