BioMed's InTray™ GC Diagnostic Device Helps Health Providers Comply With New Federal Guidelines to Slow Rise of Drug Resistant Gonorrhea

WHITE CITY, Ore., Sept. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- BioMed Diagnostics, Inc., an innovative manufacturer of microbiology devices that facilitate and enhance infectious disease diagnosis, today reported that the unique design of its InTray™ GC device can help healthcare providers implement new federal guidelines for the treatment of gonorrhea, one of the most common sexually transmitted diseases (STDs.)

The changes announced last month by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were prompted by evidence that the bacterium that causes gonorrhea is developing resistance to currently-used oral antibiotics.  The new guidelines recommend therapy with a more powerful injectible antibiotic and a second antibiotic, along with culture-based retesting to monitor antimicrobial resistance and ensure that the gonorrhea has been cured.  Patients whose infections are not fully eradicated are at risk of serious complications and they can continue to spread the disease to others.  They may also contribute to development of drug resistance.  

BioMed's InTray GC uniquely combines sample collection, transport and culture in a single read-out ready platform, enabling simultaneous detection and observation of the bacterium responsible for gonorrhea.  InTray GC reduces handling, increases productivity, improves throughput and reduces the risk of sample exposure and contamination.

The InTray GC system is equipped with an integrated carbon dioxide tablet contained in a sealed inner chamber to prevent degradation during storage.  Once the chamber is punctured and the InTray device sealed, the tablet generates the anaerobic atmosphere needed to detect gonorrhea, eliminating the need for costly carbon dioxide incubators.

"The CDC's new guidelines reflect the urgency of ensuring that we track resistance trends so that we continue to have effective treatments for gonorrhea, and infected patients are actually cured," said Jim Self, Chief Executive Officer of BioMed Diagnostics.  "Our one-step InTray GC device has demonstrated its utility in everyday clinical use, making it easier and more economical to detect whether a patient is infected and whether the bacterial strain shows resistance.  We look forward to working with healthcare providers to demonstrate how InTray GC can help them implement the new diagnostic guidelines efficiently and cost effectively."

Gonorrhea is among the most common STDs, with the CDC estimating that more than 700,000 people in the US acquire new infections each year.  If left untreated, gonorrhea can lead to long-term health consequences, including chronic pelvic pain, ectopic pregnancy and infertility.  It can also increase the risk of contracting and transmitting HIV.

BioMed devices are listed with the US Food and Drug Administration for in vitro diagnostic use in human clinical laboratories.  For more information on InTray GC, visit www.biomeddiagnostics.com/ivd-intray-gc/

For information on BioMed Diagnostics' other InTray and InPouch™ infectious disease devices, visit www.biomeddiagnostics.com/clinical.

About BioMed Diagnostics
BioMed Diagnostics, Inc. is a manufacturer of in vitro clinical diagnostic, veterinary, environmental and research-only microbiology testing devices that save time and money, improve workflow and throughput, and reduce sample exposure and contamination.  By combining sample collection, transport and culture in a single read-out ready platform, BioMed's InPouch™ and InTray™ devices help medical professionals, veterinarians, researchers and environmental and industry scientists accurately detect and enumerate a variety of bacterial and fungal pathogens. The devices' unique sealed design reduces the risk of pathogen exposure, and they have a long shelf life.  InTray products featuring Colorex™ technology enable easy-to-interpret visual results from a simple color change.  To learn more about BioMed Diagnostics products and services, visit: www.biomeddiagnostics.com.

SOURCE BioMed Diagnostics, Inc.