SALT LAKE CITY–(BUSINESS WIRE)–

Great Basin Corporation, a privately-held molecular diagnostics company developing sample-to-result solutions, announced today that a study published in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Microbiology demonstrates its TB ID/R assay to be 96 percent accurate in detecting rifampin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB). The assay is currently under development to provide rapid diagnosis and drug susceptibility information for TB.

More than 9.8 million cases of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MDR TB) are reported worldwide each year, and more than half of those previously treated experience repeat infections. TB can be treated effectively if properly identified; however, mistreated or left untreated, can cause drug resistance and can be deadly. Many sources suggest that the main contributor in the delay of TB treatment is poor sensitivity of diagnostic tests.

The need for improved point-of-care testing for drug resistance in MDR TB is acute, especially in the developing world, said Robert Jenison, CTO of Great Basin Corporation and study co-author. A significant advantage of the TB ID/R assay is that more information can be added to it to detect additional TB resistance mechanisms, potentially allowing for diagnosis of MDR-TB, even extremely drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). This diagnostic capability can improve management and treatment for greater numbers of infected patients, further reducing transmission risks.

The study was conducted by researchers from Great Basin Corporation and the Public Health Research Institute Tuberculosis Center at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

The data from this study further validates the versatility of Great Basins technology as a platform for providing fast and accurate answers for some of the worlds most vexing infectious diseases, said Ryan Ashton, CEO and president, Great Basin Corporation. The progress were seeing on the development of our TB ID/R test, in concert with our recently-cleared C. diff assay and our product pipeline of staph and fungal detection solutions, means were executing on our goal of delivering a robust menu of true sample-to-result and cost-effective molecular diagnostic solutions.

Great Basins technology entails an integrated disposable cartridge containing all necessary reagents and an inexpensive bench-top analyzer that executes the assay, interprets the results and provides eye-visible detection to the clinician. This test is being automated in a manner consistent with the World Health Organizations ASSURED (Affordable, Sensitive, Specific, User-friendly, Rapid and Robust, Equipment-free and Deliverable to end-users) goals for developing world point-of-care testing for drug-resistant TB.

The lead author of the study is Wanyuan Ao, senior scientist at Great Basin Corporation. In addition to Ao and Jenison, co-authors include Stephen Aldous, Evelyn Woodruff, Brian Hicke and Larry Rea of Great Basin; and Barry Kreiswirth of the Public Health Research Institute Tuberculosis Center, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey.

About Great Basin Corporation

Great Basin Corporation is a privately held molecular diagnostics company that commercializes breakthrough chip-based technologies. The company is dedicated to the development of simple, yet powerful, sample-to-result technology and products that provide fast, multiple-pathogen diagnoses of infectious diseases. By providing more diagnostic data per sample, healthcare providers are able to treat patients with the right medication sooner, improving outcomes and reducing costs. The companys vision is to make molecular diagnostic testing so simple and cost-effective that every patient will be tested for every serious infection, reducing misdiagnoses and significantly limiting the spread of infectious disease. More information can be found on the companys website at www.gbscience.com.

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