LexaGene Holdings Inc (CVE:LXG) (OTCMKTS:LXXGF) is teaming up with Assurance Scientific Laboratories (ASL) to test its rapid pathogen detection technology on urine samples.
The company announced an agreement Thursday to place a beta prototype of its LX Analyzer at ASL’s facility in Vestavia, Alabama, which, among other things, tests more than 300 urine samples per week for urinary tract infections (UTIs).
The beta test will focus on detecting pathogens which cause the infections while also screening for genetic markers of antimicrobial resistance — the resistance of bacteria, fungus and viruses to drugs.
READ: LexaGene receives high-level approval from CDC and FDA to test pathogen samples
During the tests, ASL will use the LX Analyzer's open access feature to compare its pathogen detection and antimicrobial resistance characterization technology to ASL’s own. The goal is to help clinical laboratories assess the available tools for diagnosing and treating UTIs.
“This collaborative effort with ASL, a reference laboratory that processes human samples for clinical diagnostic testing, is a perfect example of a laboratory taking advantage of the open-access feature to test the performance of their own assays on our fully automated analyzer,” CEO Jack Regan said in a statement.
“We are excited to have this opportunity to demonstrate the instrument’s capabilities, and how it may someday be used for human clinical diagnostics.”
The company's shared edged 4.4% lower Thurday to C$0.66 on the Venture in Toronto and 3.6% to US$0.50 on OTC Markets.
Contact Andrew Kessel at [email protected]
Follow him on Twitter @andrew_kessel