3M Expands its Medical Diagnostics Platform with Acquisition of Acolyte Biomedica Ltd.ST. PAUL St. Paul as a missionary he fearlessly confronts the “perils of waters, of robbers, in the city, in the wilderness.” [N.T.: II Cor. 11:26] See : Bravery , Minn. -- 3M announced today it has acquired Acolyte Biomedica Ltd., a Salisbury, U.K.-based provider of an automated microbial microbial pertaining to or emanating from a microbe. microbial digestion the breakdown of organic material, especially feedstuffs, by microbial organisms. detection platform that aids in the rapid detection, diagnosis, and treatment of infectious diseases infectious diseases: see communicable diseases. . Early detection of dangerous microbes is becoming more important as multiple resistant bacteria strains become more prevalent. Acolyte Biomedica helps hospitals control high-risk infections through improved screening and targeted treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin-aminoglycoside resistant Staphylococcus aureus, MRSA An organism with multiple antibiotic resistances–eg, aminoglycosides, chloramphenicol, clindamycin, erythromycin, rifampin, tetracycline, (MRSA MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. See MARSA. ), a type of bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics and occurs most frequently in hospital patients who have weakened immune systems. Acolyte Biomedica brings to 3M's infection prevention platform a pipeline of rapid culture-based screening tests for microbes, such as MRSA and vancomycin-resistant enterococcus vancomycin-resistant enterococcus Infectious disease An enterococcus, primarily Enterococcus faecium, resistant to most antibiotics, including aminoglycosides and vancomycin, once a 'last-resort' agent; VRE is primarily nosocomial, in long (VRE VRE vancomycin-resistant enterococcus. VRE Vancomycin-resistent enterococcus, see there ), that simplify the diagnostic process by automating traditional culture methodology resulting in reliable confirmed 'negatives' in hours rather than days. The addition of Acolyte Biomedica allows 3M to expand more quickly into the emerging market of infection prevention diagnostics, especially in Europe where Acolyte Biomedica has commercialized product for MRSA. Now, 3M will be able to provide customers around the world with rapid, easy-to-use microbial diagnostics that help to reduce the impact of resistant microbes and improve hospital laboratory efficiency. "This acquisition builds on 3M's innovative research and development in the medical diagnostics area and is a natural extension of our core infection prevention business," said Chuck Kummeth, division vice president, 3M Medical Division. "Our vision is to continue expanding our platform to include diagnostic solutions ranging from simple, culture-based approaches to more advanced molecular diagnostics that will help hospitals to improve the quality of patient care." Complementary acquisitions such as this support both 3M's core business and growth strategy to expand into adjacent markets. 3M's long-standing infection prevention platform offers innovative solutions to help reduce the risk of healthcare-associated infections. 3M's infection prevention portfolio includes diagnostic testing Diagnostic testing Testing performed to determine if someone is affected with a particular disease. Mentioned in: Von Willebrand Disease , sterilization sterilization Any surgical procedure intended to end fertility permanently (see contraception). Such operations remove or interrupt the anatomical pathways through which the cells involved in fertilization travel (see reproductive system). assurance, skin preparation, sterile field sterile field Surgery A 'clean' environment that surrounds an incision, and relatively free of microorganisms, in particular bacteria; the SF is inhabited by the surgeon(s), scrub nurses, and occasionally, physicians in training. See Dirty wound. and surface, wound management and environmental cleaning. Acolyte Biomedica employs 13 people at its facility in Salisbury, U.K. About Acolyte Biomedica Ltd. Acolyte Biomedica Ltd. was formed in 2000 and is based at Porton Down Porton Down is a UK government and military science park. It is situated slightly North-East of Porton near Salisbury in Wiltshire, England. To the North-West lies the MoD Boscombe Down test range facility which is owned by QinetiQ. , Salisbury, U.K., where it employs 13 specialist scientists and commercial staff. It has been funded by shareholders Porton Capital, Dstl/Ploughshare Innovations, Partnerships UK and Angle Plc. The Company develops, manufactures and markets rapid microbiology products and has an exclusive global license to AK Rapid technology, granted from Dstl for clinical and veterinary use. It has further developed this ultra sensitive detection technology into a series of commercial prototype products, which rapidly detect the presence of bacteria and determine their antibiotic susceptibility direct from clinical samples such as blood. In January 2006, Acolyte launched a rapid culture-based MRSA test, BacLite Rapid, which can detect the presence or absence of MRSA direct from clinical samples in less than five hours. This is the only available rapid screening test which can discriminate between live and dead bacteria allowing clinicians to determine the risk of resistant bacteria spreading in the hospital environment. About 3M - A Global, Diversified Technology Company Every day, 3M people find new ways to make amazing a·maze v. a·mazed, a·maz·ing, a·maz·es v.tr. 1. To affect with great wonder; astonish. See Synonyms at surprise. 2. Obsolete To bewilder; perplex. v.intr. things happen. Wherever they are, whatever they do, the company's customers know they can rely on 3M to help make their lives better. 3M's brands include Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti. Serving customers in more than 200 countries around the world, the people of 3M use their expertise, technologies and global strength to lead in major markets including consumer and office; display and graphics; electronics and telecommunications; safety, security and protection services; health care; industrial and transportation. Scotch, Post-it, Scotchgard, Thinsulate, Scotch-Brite, Filtrete, Command and Vikuiti are trademarks of 3M. |
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