Access Bio and Global Good collaborate for five-fold improvement in pLDH marker detection for HRP2-deleted P. falciparum

Access Bio (KOSDAQ: 950130) and Intellectual Ventures’ Global Good fund have signed a one-year research agreement to improve the sensitivity of malaria diagnostic products.

Researchers will have a goal of improving—by 5-times—the sensitivity of a WHO-prequalified diagnostic kit that detects Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) for histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) deleted Plasmodium falciparum parasites. This project carries additional impact as pLDH biomarkers are produced by both falciparum and vivax species and current pLDH management tests have much room for improvement.

“With the recent movement of mutated, HRP2-deleted P. falciparum, malaria parasites spreading from the Amazon to the Africa and Asian regions, a larger proportion of false negative diagnoses—where patients actually have the disease but are diagnosed as negative—has been observed. This could lead to increased difficulty controlling malaria in the long term,” said Bernhard Weigl, Director of In Vitro Diagnostics at the Intellectual Ventures Laboratory.

“During research with a variety of organizations we were able to secure high-sensitivity malaria diagnostic technologies. We are happy that this agreement gives us the opportunity to be able to realize such technology into products,” said Young Ho Choi, CEO of AccessBio. “This malaria diagnostic kit allows for more effective case management, and fills the need for addressing situations where HRP2 deletions are a challenge.

“The high-sensitivity platform technology that will result from this research project will be expanded for use beyond malaria. Access Bio will not only contribute to the improvement of health and welfare in developing nations through the securing of innovative technology and products, we will also devote ourselves to entering the market in developed countries,” said Mr. Choi.

About Global Good
Millions of people suffer and die each year in poor countries from causes that humanity has the scientific and technical ability to solve. Funded by Bill Gates and focused on a shared vision with Nathan Myhrvold, Global Good invents technology to solve some of humanity's most daunting problems. We do this by collaborating with leading humanitarian organizations, forward-looking governments, research institutions, and corporate and private sector partners that bring our inventions to market. www.globalgood.com

About Access Bio
Access Bio (KOSDAQ: 950130) is dedicated to the prevention and early diagnosis of infectious diseases through research, development, and manufacturing of in vitro rapid diagnostic tests, biosensors and molecular diagnostic products. The company’s in vitro diagnostic test platform includes immunochemical, biochemical and molecular products.

Headquartered in Somerset, New Jersey, Access Bio serves its global customer base from manufacturing sites located in the US, Ethiopia and South Korea. In fiscal year 2015, the company reported $31.4 million of revenues, largely from sales of its industry-leading malaria RDT products. The company is in the early stages of commercializing a number of additional diagnostic kits that leverage its existing expertise and manufacturing capacity.

For additional information about the company, please visit www.accessbio.net.