Siemens Showcases Broad Portfolio of Infectious Disease Testing Capabilities at ECCMID 2012

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has showcased its broad portfolio of infectious disease testing capabilities¹ — from screening and diagnosis to susceptibility testing, genotyping, therapy selection and monitoring — at the 22nd European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in London. The Siemens solutions on display at ECCMID 2012 reinforced the company's commitment to the development of reliable, high-quality infectious disease diagnostic solutions to help laboratories optimise workflow and enhance operational efficiency.

The exhibit — themed “Innovation. Powered for Infectious Disease Solutions.”— featured innovative products designed to address the current and growing demands of infectious disease testing, including customised workflow options, assays to help clinicians improve patient care, and clinically-validated, expert-based software solutions that support personalised medicine.

“Infectious disease is a leading cause of death worldwide2, making it critical that clinicians have access to diagnostic solutions that provide trustworthy results, which ultimately contribute to optimal patient outcomes,” said Christoph Gauer, PhD, CEO, Molecular and Microbiology Business Segment at Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics. “Visitors to our ECCMID booth learnt how Siemens can help them improve the delivery of vital information healthcare providers require to care for their patients impacted by infectious disease.”

Liver Health Solutions

The Siemens ECCMID exhibit provided a platform to showcase the company’s portfolio of diagnostic solutions for managing liver-disease patients, including routine chemistry tests, hepatitis serology assays, viral load testing and ultrasound systems. A key highlight was the recently launched ADVIA Centaur® ELF™ Test3, the first routine standardised direct biomarker panel for the assessment of liver fibrosis, a leading indicator of chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. With results provided in about an hour, the ELF test combines three serum biomarkers—hyaluronic acid (HA), Procollagen III amino terminal peptide (PIIINP) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1)—which provide a score, shown to correlate to the level of liver fibrosis as assessed by liver biopsy. In an international multi-centre study with a mix of patient groups, the ELF test was clinically validated and found to be accurate to differentiate mild, moderate and severe fibrosis4.

Microbiology Solutions

Attendees also learnt about Siemens’ latest microbiology offerings, including LabPro Connect, a new software solution that consolidates databases for multiple testing systems. The open-system configuration option delivers workstation networking by aggregating LabPro ID/AST data to bench and laboratory office computers, reducing wasted staff time absorbed by visiting different instruments to collect information. LabPro Connect can also be configured as a closed-system without workstation networking.

Also highlighted were microbiology automation and mass spectrometry solutions now available from Siemens as a result of a recently forged strategic partnership with Copan and co-marketing agreement with Bruker Corporation. The Copan Walk-Away Specimen Processor (WASP® instrument)5 offers fully automated bacteriology specimen processing, individualised sample management, utilising familiar streaking patterns, standardises workflow processes and optimises specimen set-up activities to free up staff resources. The Bruker MALDI Biotyper6 provides faster, more accurate and very cost-effective molecular microorganism identification using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry for proteomic fingerprinting. This technology provides faster TTR, along with outstanding accuracy and sensitivity, to meet the demands of diverse laboratory needs.

Molecular Solutions

Additionally, Siemens’ ECCMID booth included information about the VERSANT® HCV RNA 1.0 Assay, a highly sensitive viral load assay for the VERSANT kPCR Molecular System7. This assay aids in the management of individuals infected with hepatitis C (HCV)—one of the main causes of chronic liver disease worldwide8— who are undergoing antiviral therapy. This assay provides outstanding precision across the dynamic range and 100% specificity with a 95% lower confidence limit of 99.7%, and features technology that is compatible with all HCV genotypes.

Visitors also found out about TRUGENE® HIV-1 GuideLines™ 17.09, the latest interpretive algorithm for HIV-1 drug resistance, which are clinically validated and updated annually by an independent expert panel, as well as the company’s latest tissue preparation and extraction solutions to maximise lab efficiency.