Vivalytic Resource Hub
What We Do: Cutting-Edge Healthcare Diagnostics
About Randox
You may already be familiar with Randox! Not only do we sponsor the world’s greatest race, the Randox Grand National, we also have a range of sporting partnerships including Team GB, Olimpia Milano basketball team and more. Or perhaps you recognise the name as being one of the partners in the UK Government’s testing programme for COVID-19.
Disruptive Innovation in Diagnostics and Healthcare
Randox is dedicated to improving healthcare using innovative diagnostic technologies, for a range of health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer and stroke.
Whilst the science is complex, the applications are not. Diagnostic testing takes place every day behind the scenes of GP surgeries, laboratories and hospitals.
Around 70% of all medical decisions are based on laboratory results, and so, not surprisingly, we believe that earlier, more accurate and more accessible diagnostics are the key to improving global health and saving lives.
The Future of Healthcare
We are significantly increasing our UK High Street presence, using the unique national coronavirus testing infrastructure and capacity we invested in during the pandemic to deliver a new range of preventative health checks. Expansion plans will see up to 20 new Randox Health clinics operating in the UK and Northern Ireland by the end of the year. The clinics will provide easy access for millions to a range of diagnostic tests for vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances, inherited/genetic conditions and key health concerns including heart, liver and kidney conditions.
Key to the unique range of diagnostic testing available at our growing network of clinics is the testing technologies, facilities and comprehensive, nationwide distribution network rapidly developed by Randox Laboratories to play a key role in meeting the sudden national demand for Covid-19 PCR tests. At the height of the pandemic emergency, Randox were the only laboratory in the UK and Northern Ireland to process over 100,000 PCR tests per day, saving thousands of lives.
Now, with millions of people having become accustomed to regular testing through the pandemic, Randox is combining that familiarity with its own unique Covid-19 experience and infrastructure to deliver real, affordable and preventative healthcare through early diagnostic testing on the High Street.
“Randox believes that in harnessing the achievements of during the pandemic we can help the shift away from the traditional model of sickness management to a new era of truly preventative healthcare. This will benefit individuals and society by improving patient outcomes and considerably reducing the burden on our vital and hard-pressed clinical services” (Randox founder and Managing Director – Dr Peter FitzGerald).
Frequently Asked Questions?
What is the vision of Randox?
The Randox ethos of improving healthcare, which drove our Managing Director Dr Peter FitzGerald to start the company in the 1980s, continues today. Up to 25% of our turnover is reinvested in research and development to enable our scientists to work on the development of pioneering tests for a range of common illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease.
We have also spent more than £220 million developing our patented Randox Biochip. This state-of-the-art biochip technology has revolutionised the diagnostics industry because it allows multiple tests to be carried out from a single, undivided patient sample on a single testing platform.
When and why was Randox established?
Our Managing Director Dr FitzGerald established Randox in 1982 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, to address the need for accurate and readily available diagnostic tests to improve patient diagnosis. At that time, doctors only conducted a handful of tests per patient, but now, more than 40 years later, Randox has developed and improved hundreds of tests, with hundreds more in development.
What products and service do Randox offer?
Randox has a broad range of products and services that offer a comprehensive insight into patient diagnosis to facilitate more effective disease management and treatment.
Our clinical product offering includes diagnostic reagents, quality control, and clinical chemistry analysers.
Our patented Randox Biochip Technology and associated Immunoassay analysers also have applications for forensic toxicology, food diagnostics, and workplace drug testing.
Our Randox Health clinics offer a range of health checks across general health, sexual health, respiratory health and more.
Who and where are Randox customers?
Randox’s focus has traditionally been on healthcare providers, so we have placed our products and services in hospitals, clinics, research and molecular laboratories, food testing, forensic toxicology, life sciences and veterinary laboratories.
With the establishment of our consumer brand, Randox Health, we also offer our innovative tests directly to the consumer in our Randox Health clinics, located across the UK including London, Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Holywood and Crumlin.
We have ambitious plans to roll out a number of new clinics across the United Kingdom and internationally, over the coming months and years.
What is the size of the company?
Our company has grown from a small team of two scientists, to over 3300 employees of 44 nationalities, including 650 research scientists and engineers.
Where are Randox headquartered and what is the geographical reach?
Our headquarters are in Crumlin, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland – close to Belfast International Airport. However, we are a global company and currently have offices and distribution outlets in 145 countries, with manufacturing and R&D capabilities in 4 jurisdictions across 3 continents.
We are currently relocating our headquarters to the Randox Science Park in Antrim; a £161 million project which will accelerate the development of new products into a wide range of clinical needs, including various cancers, stroke, heart disease and neurodegenerative disorders.
We are very proud of our global penetration – today, approximately 5% of the world’s population receives medical diagnoses using products from Randox. That equates to about 400 million people. We also supply 15% of the world’s cholesterol tests, so if you’ve ever had your cholesterol checked, then there’s a high chance it could have been performed using a Randox product!
What are the biggest issues within the health sector?
Our key observation across the globe is that within healthcare the pressure on resources means there is a focus on the “management of sickness,” rather than preventative care.
We know that a focus on early diagnosis and preventative care will improve patient outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems. Making that paradigm shift is a major challenge.
That’s why Randox Health was established – to allow the consumer direct access to our innovative technologies so that they can take control of their health and make appropriate lifestyle changes BEFORE disease manifests and symptoms occur.
What is Randox doing in the fight against COVID-19?
To find out more about our test and testing services for COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 FAQ page by clicking here.
Want to know more?
Contact us or visit our dedication to quality webpage.
Our History
Company Values
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Randox Supports Family Business Week 21st-25th November 2022
Randox Supports Family Business Week 21st-25th November 2022
The theme for Family Business Week 2022 is ‘Celebrating Our Place in the World’. It will highlight the central role family firms play in shaping and supporting their local communities, economy and natural environment. The campaign is led by the IFB, the voice of the UK’s family business sector and supported by NatWest.
In honour of this week, Randox would like to share our family business history:
In April 1982, Randox Laboratories was founded by Dr Peter Fitzgerald from a converted chicken house off Randox Road, near Crumlin in Antrim, where he had grown up.
FitzGerald started out using equipment discarded by university research labs but, through decades of hard work and innovation, slowly built the company into a market leader. Randox Laboratories is now the largest diagnostics company from the UK with over 40 years of experience operating in over 145 countries.
The Covid-19 pandemic saw Randox Laboratories on the front line for testing for the Covid-19 virus across the UK and Ireland. After downloading the virus genetic sequence in January 2020, Randox were able to quickly develop a test. This meant that by March 2020, Randox were provided with a contract by Public Health England to test as part of the National Testing Program.
After investing in 78,000 sq ft of laboratory testing space and hiring additional staff, Randox were able to process over 25million PCR tests as part of the National Testing Program as well as private testing allowing a return to work and travel.
Expanding into the travel market and providing an essential service to people to travel to see loved ones after years in isolation. There was a realisation that the future landscape for healthcare has changed forever. People have become used to testing themselves. People want to know the status of their health and are actively taking control of their health and wellbeing.
Randox Health has recently made significant investment to deliver our preventative, personalised testing packages across the nation and are opening up to 25 Randox Health clinics in the short term – In England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. Randox Health clinics focus on the provision of cost-effective, timely and accurate testing to identify risk to health, improve clinical diagnoses and promote preventative healthcare. Our aim is to improve and save lives through early detection of disease.
The growing network of clinics provide easy access for millions of people to a new Randox range of diagnostic tests, including for cancer, vitamin deficiencies, hormone imbalances, allergies and key health concerns including heart, liver, and kidney conditions. Real time insights on current and future health risks are provided to empower clients to make simple dietary and lifestyle changes giving them the power to extend their lives.
Randox clinics also offer a new range of comprehensive diagnostic programmes, including the ‘EveryMan’ and ‘EveryWoman’ 12-month programmes/full body ‘MOTs’. These enable up to 150 data points linked to key health areas to be measured during each visit with a personalised health plan summarising results provided. Repeat tests and consultation will be arranged six months after the initial test, included in the testing programme prices, which start at £295 per person.
Randox Win IT Team or Department of the Year at the 2022 Belfast Telegraph IT Awards
Randox would like to congratulate the IT Department on their Belfast Telegraph IT Awards Win!
The Randox IT department were delighted to win the IT Team or Department of the Year award sponsored by Continu. Described as the ‘clear winner’ by Belfast Telegraph, Randox IT won the award due to their hard work and dedication during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The awards took place on Friday at the MAC Theatre in Belfast and was hosted by comedian Neil Delamere. Northern Ireland’s incredible IT industry was showcased displaying their great achievements and their significant, positive impact on the local economy.
In the past 12 months, Randox IT department transformed the cutting-edge systems and facilities created during the pandemic to allow customers to take control of their health through preventative testing. Randox IT were very much at the forefront of innovation and continued to develop and enhance our offerings, processing 27 million covid results in total. Furthermore, expanding into the travel market and providing an essential service to people who could finally travel to see loved ones after years in isolation.
The team’s disruptive approach to development has allowed Randox to respond quickly in an ever-evolving situation and introduce a full end-to-end testing process facilitating multiple key stages such as, logistics, registration, accessioning, sample processing and results reporting.
At the beginning of 2022, there was a realization that the future landscape for healthcare has changed forever. People want to know the status of their health and are actively taking control of their health and wellbeing. Through these innovate solutions developed by Randox IT in the fight against covid, the team have focused on the future vision of healthcare and developed solutions for customers to test themselves, in clinic or at home, for areas such as heart health, Thyroid health, STI, Vit and Minerals as well as our most popular packages of Everyman, Everywomen, Signature, Every Athlete.
This has only been possible due to the dedication and expertise of the IT team who released a new version of the Randox Health customer platform, which provides each customer with a customized view of their health. Customers have key insights to their health data allowing them to track their health.
Rapid MG, MH, UP/UU Testing Now Available on Vivalytic
Introducing MG, MH, UP/UU Testing to Vivalytic
Aiding the rapid diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and immediate decision making at the point of care, the Vivalytic portfolio of tests has now expanded to complement current comprehensive screening for STI’s, introducing rapid screening for Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH) & Ureaplasma parvum (UP)/urealyticum (UU) in 1 hour.
What are MG, MH, UP/UU pathogens?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 30 different bacterial species, viruses and parasites have been identified to be involved in the spread of STIs. Mycoplasmas in particular belong to the group of human pathogenic bacterial species with many risk associations particularly on the female reproductive system.1 Studies have also found that UU and MH are implicated in prematurity-linked conditions 2. UP & UU bacterium again are implicated to have adverse implications for both men & women. They affect up to 70% of sexually active couples and exist mostly in an asymptomatic state. If left untreated, UP & UU may be associated with infertility and other risk associations such as meningitis and pneumonia. 3
Why test MG, MH, UP/UU on Vivalytic?
Current diagnostic cultivation methods for screening can take up to three days for MH, UP and UU or even 6 months, with the introduction of these STI pathogens to the Vivalytic, quick, accurate diagnosis and immediate treatment decisions can be made at the point of care , before symptoms worsen, or any long-term implications occurs to the patient. In a world where over 1 million STIs are acquired daily 5, a quick and efficient process that allows for almost immediate results can improve operations considerably.
The push to encourage individuals to test themselves regularly before engaging in sexual activities with a new partner is becoming more and more widespread. The Vivalytic, as a portable point of care device, designed to suit a range of environments such as Doctors’ offices or GUM/ Sexual Health Clinic, can provide a screening immediately, minimising the stress and uncertainty a patient may experience whilst waiting for a result to receive the relevant treatments if needed. The Vivalytic’s speed not only provides reliable and precise diagnoses, but also plays a role in fighting the spread of STIs and minimising hospitalisations that may arise from complications from undetected sexually transmitted pathogens.
Features and Benefits
- By using a single cartridge, the Vivalytic MG, MH, UP/UU test detects and differentiates between pathogens of the Mycoplasmataceae family
- Detection Method: Real-Time PCR
- Result Time: 1 hour
- Sample Volume: 300μl Clinical Sample
- Sample Type: Swab (Urethral, Vaginal, Cervical, Rectal), Urine
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What makes this possible?
Making this happen, The MG, MH, UP/UU rapid test on Vivalytic by Bosch, a point of care platform brought to the market by Randox Laboratories. The Vivalytic system is a fully automated, cartridge-based platform capable of both Hi-Plex and Lo-Plex infectious disease testing. Each easy-to-use cartridge contains all necessary reagents, is fully sealed to minimise risk and can be conveniently stored at room temperature.
Making a point to care, the Vivalytic also provides a comprehensive sexual health profile of 10 bacterial, viral, and protozoan infections with a rapid turnaround time of just 2 hours from sample entry to result. Designed to offer a complete sexual health profile with an aim of prevention and control, the Vivalytic STI array can be used to diagnose existing infections whilst any identifying co-infections.
The Vivalytic consolidates the full molecular workflow into a small benchtop platform, capable of extraction, PCR amplification and detection. It follows an easy 4 step process from sample entry to results and with the gold standard PCR testing. With most up to date technology, the Vivalytic has wireless connectivity, with no peripherals required, making a unique space saving and hygienic solution. Handling and utilisation are simple and medical professionals require only minimal training.
For more information on the Vivalytic, why not visit our webpage: https://www.randox.com/vivalytic-molecular-point-of-care/
For more information on our new MG, MH, UP/UU test, please contact market@randox.com
References:
- Mardh P. A., Westrom L., von Mecklenburg C., Hammar E. Studies on ciliated epithelia of the human genital tract. I. Swelling of the cilia of Fallopian tube epithelium in organ cultures infected with Mycoplasma hominis. The British Journal of Venereal Diseases. 1976;52(1):52–57.
- Viscardi R. M. Ureaplasmaspecies: role in neonatal morbidities and outcomes. Archives of Disease in Childhood: Fetal and Neonatal Edition. 2014;99(1):F87–F92.
- World Health Organization. “Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).” int, World Health Organization: WHO, 22 Nov. 2021, www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis).
Want to know more about Randox?
Contact us or visit our homepage to view more.
Randox QC Resource Hub
Randox would like to Congratulate Eileen Nixon on her Retirement
Randox would like to congratulate Eileen Nixon on her retirement!
Eileen has been a valuable member of Randox for 32 years beginning her career here in November 1990. She describes how remarkable the growth of Randox has been. From a smaller scale business back in 1990 to now the largest diagnostics company from the UK.
On Thursday morning, we celebrated Eileen’s achievements and fond memories during her time in our Manufacturing Division, within the Packing Team. The room was filled with Eileen’s colleagues, many of whom had worked with Eileen for well over 20 years. Eileen has been a great member of the Randox team and will be sorely missed.
We wish Eileen good health and every happiness for her retirement.
ABOUT RANDOX
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Randox collaborate with Verv Technologies to Improve Health for All
Randox Laboratories, the largest diagnostics company from the UK, are proud to announce a $3.8m CAD seed round with Verv Technologies.
Randox Laboratories are the lead investor for Verv Technologies, who are focused on creating the first of its kind consumer-oriented, affordable, high-quality blood chemistry analyser with disposable tests for home use, that will help individuals measure a wide range of analytes (i.e., cholesterol, vitamin levels, hormones). With over 40 years of diagnostic experience, Randox Laboratories are focused on investment into technologies to improve health for all.
Dr. Peter Fitzgerald, Managing Director of Randox Laboratories shared, “Randox has a global lens on the development of new technologies. We have a shared vision and belief in Verv’s unique, highly differentiated microfluidics approach to creating scalable, high-quality, low-cost blood testing technology for healthcare consumers. We anticipate a great journey ahead, in partnership with Verv.
Jeff Sutton, Founder and President of Verv Technologies describes, “We are thrilled to have Randox as a major investor in Verv to help propel us to commercial readiness and the opportunity to work with the original Founder and Managing Director of Randox, Dr. Peter Fitzgerald, who will join Verv’s Board of Directors. We aim to create great value for health-conscious consumers.”
Randox and Verve share a commitment to transform testing on a global scale for the benefit of healthcare consumers.
ABOUT RANDOX
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World Heart Day 2022
World Heart Day 2022
World Heart Day – Raising awareness of Cardiovascular Diseases
On 29th September, World Heart Day is an opportunity for everyone to stop and consider how best to use heart for humanity, for nature, and for yourself. Beating cardiovascular disease is something that matters to every beating heart.
In May 2012, world leaders committed to reducing global mortality from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by 25% by 2025. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is accountable for nearly half of all NCD deaths making it the world’s number one killer. World Heart Day is, therefore, the perfect platform for the CVD community to unite in the fight against CVD and reduce the global disease burden.
World Heart Day is a global campaign created by the World Heart Federation in which it informs people around the globe that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death claiming 18.6 million lives each year. It aims to highlight the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD as well as to drive action to educate people by controlling risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity.
What are cardiovascular diseases?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a group of disorders relating to the heart and blood vessels and they include:
- coronary heart disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the heart muscle
- cerebrovascular disease – disease of the blood vessels supplying the brain
- peripheral arterial disease – disease of blood vessels supplying the arms and legs
- rheumatic heart disease – damage to the heart muscle and heart valves from rheumatic fever, caused by streptococcal bacteria
- congenital heart disease – malformations of heart structure existing at birth
- deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism – blood clots in the leg veins, which can dislodge and move to the heart and lungs
How can Randox help with these current global challenges
Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, is easier to treat when detected early. Here at Randox, we utilise innovative diagnostic tests for early risk assessment capable of diagnosing disease at the earliest possible stages, because we understand that “prevention is better than cure”.
Randox Laboratories is a world leader in innovative diagnostics with 40 years’ experience and a leading provider of diagnostic reagents for the assessment of cardiovascular disease risk. Randox offer an extensive menu of cardiac biomarkers within the cardiology reagents panel including:
Risk Assessment
- CK-MB – useful in patients with chest pain; Creatine Kinase is an enzyme produced in many different types of cells, of which high levels indicate muscle trauma or damage.
- Myoglobin – a small protein which leaks out of muscle cells after injury, is also considered a biomarker for the detection of Myocardinal Infraction.
- Routine lipid tests to determine the patient’s cholesterol and triglyceride levels – HDL Cholesterol, LDL Cholesterol, Total Cholesterol and Triglycerides
- Independent risk assessment tests such as sdLDL Cholesterol and Lipoprotein(a) to determine any genetic factors which may increase their risk of CVD. Please note, this is necessary even for patients who have good cholesterol levels
- Secondary tests, such as High Sensitivity CRP, in addition to risk assessment markers and lipid evaluation – secondary tests are important in predicting future cardiac events of individuals with no previous history of CVD and those deemed healthy because of primary tests; approximately half of all heart attacks occur in patients classified as low risk. In addition, they can also be used to evaluate the risk of a recurrent cardiac event
- Homocysteine – elevated levels of homocysteine have been linked to various disease states including CVD. Extremely high levels are found in patients with homocystinuria, of which many suffer from early arteriosclerosis.
More information
If you are a clinician or lab interested in our Cardiology & Lipids Panel, we have a wealth of resources available:
Download our Reagents Brochure
Download our Cardiology & Lipid Testing Brochure
If you would like to get in touch with a Sales representative please email us reagents@randox.com
Cardiac QC
Acusera Cardiac Controls is designed to deliver an assayed solution for Tropinin I and NT-proBNP testing. Its intended use with Roche, Abbott and Siemens. This control is manufactured using only the highest quality material and offers a 7-day thawed stability at +2ºC to +8ºC.
Four levels are available covering the clinically relevant range, including High Sensitivity Troponin I.
Features and Benefits
- Liquid for ease-of-use stability
- Aqueous material
- 4 Clinically relevant levels (including Ultra-Low)
- Stable to expiry date at -18-24ºC storage
- Thawed stability of 7 days at 2°C – 8°C
For more information, visit our Cardiac Quality Control website
If you have any other queries, don’t hesitate on contacting us at qualitycontrol@randox.com
Heart Health Test
High Cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke therefore at Randox Health we have the Heart Health Test to keep our cholesterol at a healthy level. This is done from the convenience of your home with our home sample collection kit. Heart Health measures your total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, LDL (bad cholesterol) and triglycerides.
Why we get tested?
There is so much importance in identifying cholesterol imbalance early which allows you to make appropriate dietary and lifestyle changes which in turn reduces your risk of heart disease and stroke. It is essential to acknowledge that regardless of your age and physical health, anyone can have high cholesterol; high levels may be a result of genetics or lifestyle which can often display with no underlying symptoms. Those with a family history of heart disease, who are overweight/ obese, drink alcohol, smoke regularly, lead a sedentary lifestyle or have diabetes are at an increased risk and should get tested.
Find out more here
Want to know more about Randox?
Contact us or visit our homepage to view more.
Randox response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, ‘Government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd’
27th July 2022: Randox response to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report, ‘Government’s contracts with Randox Laboratories Ltd’
A spokesperson for Randox said:
“The PAC report is deeply flawed and wrong in assumptions it makes and the conclusions it draws about Randox.
“As the UK’s largest diagnostic company, with four decades of experience, over 2,000 professional staff on hand at the start of the pandemic and more than £350m of prior investment in diagnostic and engineering innovation, Randox was uniquely situated to respond to the national need when COVID-19 emerged in early 2020.
“In supporting the UK’s urgent requirement for coronavirus testing Randox reacted with speed, efficiency and flexibility in delivering value. The company developed and built, in record time, the UK’s largest COVID-19 laboratories and testing services. It provided the Department of Health and Social Care with a PCR testing capacity at the time of greatest need, rising from 300 tests per day to 120,000 per day by January 2021.
“Altogether Randox processed over 25 million samples for UK’s National Testing Programme and in support of international travel for business and personal reasons. This played a crucial role in keeping vital elements of the UK economy functioning during lockdowns.
“In adapting to rapidly changing DHSC and Department of Transport requirements, Randox delivered unique value to the government, the national economy and to individuals.
“At no stage, either during its deliberations or in its preparation of this report, did the PAC make any contact whatsoever with Randox. Consequently many elements of its report relating to Randox are false, based as they are, on wrong and unchecked assumptions about the company. For that reason, they and any publications arising from them are the subject of a legal complaint.”
“The issues the report raises around internal DHSC record keeping are clearly a matter for DHSC”
For all media enquiries, please contact Ian Monk on ian@ianmonk.com or +44 7970 026072 / + 44 203 011 1933
