Randox responds to antibiotic resistance warning from NI Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael McBride
Today, Northern Ireland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michael McBride has stated that antibiotic resistance is now the greatest risk to human health and medicines worldwide. Dr. McBride said; “Currently 700,000 people die worldwide each year from drug resistant infections and this figure is forecasted to reach 10 million deaths by 2050, if the problem is ignored.”
It is rather alarming therefore that 70% of GPs admit that they prescribe antibiotics when they are unsure if they are treating a viral or bacterial infection. By prescribing antibiotics for viral infections, which can’t be combatted with antibiotics, patients are being exposed to antibiotics which are of no benefit.
John Lamont, Lead Scientist at Randox Laboratories, said that “Current diagnostic testing for respiratory infections takes at least 36 hours to confirm the nature of an infection, and they cannot name and categorise infections as bacterial or viral is the way our new respiratory test can.”
At Randox, our pioneering R&D teams have developed a revolutionary swab test for respiratory infections which indicates the cause of the infection and whether a patient needs antibiotics or not. This helps to limit the amount of patients who are prescribed antibiotics, reducing antibiotic resistance.
The Randox test, which can rapidly detect and identify the cause of 21 respiratory infections in just 5 hours, can also subsequently determine the appropriate antibiotic drug treatment for patients.
This test, if adopted by GP surgeries, could allow medical practitioners to make the correct treatment choice on the same day as examination and before patients have already begun a precautionary course of inefficient antibiotics. It would also have additional efficiency savings for the NHS, by eliminating the need for lengthy microbiology lab tests and unnecessarily prescribing drugs which are not needed. This new rapid and accurate test will give the GP confidence in their diagnosis of respiratory infections and will allow for quicker treatment if necessary, which benefits patient outcomes.
The test is also available as a Randox Health Cough, Cold & Flu offering, and can be carried out by booking an appointment with Randox Health at our clinics in Crumlin, Holywood or London, or by arranging the mobile clinic to visit you at your home or place of work.
So what action can we take to limit the looming antibiotic resistance crisis?
- Ask your GP if tests will be performed to make sure you even need antibiotics and that the correct antibiotic is prescribed.
- Take the antibiotics as prescribed. Make sure you complete the prescribed course, even when you start feeling better. This makes sure that all bacteria from your current infection are eradicated, leaving none behind that could potentially develop resistance to your antibiotic.
- Only take antibiotics prescribed for you; do not share or use leftover antibiotics. Taking the wrong medication will delay correct treatment and allow bacteria to multiply, and potentially develop a resistance to the antibiotic you are using incorrectly.
Find out more about the Cough, Cold & Flu Respiratory test here.
Book an appointment with one of our clinics, or arrange the mobile clinic, by phoning 0800 2545 130 or by clicking here.
For further information please contact the Randox PR team by email: randoxpr@randox.com or phone 028 9442 2413
Welcome to the Evidence Series
Introduction
For over 30 years, we have been researching and manufacturing market-leading diagnostics products globally. With a mission statement of ‘dedicated to improving health worldwide’ the patient needs are a central focus of everything we do. It is this experience and commitment to improving healthcare that has allowed us to continually improve our product offering and make advancements globally to reach as many people as possible and provide greater diagnostic facilities.
From this experience and commitment to research, we believe we have developed a technology that has changed diagnostic testing forever.
Biochip Array Technology
In 2002, we invented a world first, which changed the landscape of diagnostic testing forever. Biochip Array Technology is a precision multiplex testing platform allowing for the simultaneous quantitative or qualitative detection of a wide range of analytes from a single sample.
Biochip Array Technology uniquely offers immunoassay diagnostic testing for simultaneous multi-analyte biomarker detection. After addition of a single patient sample to the biochip, analytes present in the sample bind to the specific biochip bound ligands. The degree of binding is determined using a chemiluminescent light source and quantified using a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) camera and imaging system.
An individual biochip has up to 49 Discrete Test Regions with each detecting a different biomarker. That means up to 44 tests can be carried out simultaneously, with the additional DTRs being reserved for visual quality control and visual reference; a feature unique to Biochip Array Technology.
The Evidence Series
Having developed this patented technology following £250 million investment in research and development, we needed a platform that allowed Biochip Array Technology capabilities to be showcased. Step forward the Evidence Series. The series includes the Evidence, the Evidence Evolution, the Evidence Investigator and the Evidence MultiSTAT. Each analyser has been designed and built with boundary pushing engineering, to ensure financial, labour and time savings for the end user.
Have a read below of the brief overview of each analyser in the Evidence Series
Evidence Evolution
The world’s first fully automated random-access biochip testing platform, the Evidence Evolution is the world’s most advanced immunoanalyser. With the capability to process up to 2,640 tests per hour, the Evidence Evolution offers complete system integration, as well as the most comprehensive test menu on the market.
Evidence
As the world’s first Biochip Array Technology system, the Evidence immunoanalyser has revolutionised laboratory screening worldwide. With the capability to process 3,960 tests per hour and a sample capacity of 360, the Evidence is ideal for use in a high throughput laboratory.
Evidence Investigator
The Evidence Investigator is a compact, semi-automated benchtop immunoanalyser that offers efficient and comprehensive testing across a range of applications including clinical diagnostics, molecular, toxicology and food diagnostics. The Evidence Investigator boasts a throughput of up to 2,376 tests per hour, offering efficiency without compromising on accuracy.
Evidence MultiSTAT
The Evidence MultiSTAT is a fully automated immunoanalyser that enables on-site simultaneous detection of up to 44 analytes from a single sample of oral fluid, urine or blood. With a three-step process and results generated in less than 20 minutes, the Evidence MultiSTAT is an ideal solution for those with no knowledge of laboratory procedures and offers a throughput of up to 132 tests per hour.
About the Randox Evidence Series
The Evidence Series is set to revolutionise diagnostic testing forever. Offering unrivalled capabilities across all analysers, we truly believe that the Evidence Series range of immunoassay analysers can meet your diagnostic testing capabilities. For more information on any of the Evidence Series analysers, please visit http://www.randox.com/evidence-series/ or contact us evidenceseries@randox.com.
Next-generation āanti-cancer weaponsā to be developed in innovative partnership between Randox and Transgene
Randox Laboratories has today announced an innovative European partnership with French biotech company Transgene, which aims to develop a game-changing therapy for cancer treatments.
It involves cutting-edge technology and ‘anti-cancer weapons’ in the form of oncolytic viruses which directly target and destroy the cancer cells, and also deliver antibodies in the tumour microenvironment to further attack the rest of the tumour. This has clear advantages over traditional treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy which as well as targeting cancer cells, can affect healthy cells.
In addition, if successful, this therapy will address the efficacy challenges faced by either Oncolytic viruses or Check-point inhibitors’ neutralization used independently, as their combination is expected to trigger a sustained anti-tumoural immune response from the patient.
The partnership will bring together Randox’s unique collection of therapeutic single domain antibodies (sdABs), which are on the front line in the fight against cancer, and Transgene’s next-generation viral platform Invir.IO™.
Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Managing Director and Founder of Randox Laboratories, said:
“This collaboration will enable ground-breaking innovation and research to be carried out in a critical area of human health. The work we will be doing in the field of cancer treatment has an enormous potential benefit for patients through the delivery of more effective treatments. We are looking forward to working with Transgene to generate oncolytic viruses that will be able to deliver single and multiple payloads directly into the tumour, enhancing their efficacy. This partnership will allow us to better leverage our SdAb capabilities and immuno-oncology expertise, and add to our strategic collaborations across the world.”
Eric Quéméneur, PhD, Executive VP and VP Research & Development of Transgene, said:
“We are delighted to collaborate with Randox. Its library of SdAbs against major targets in immuno-oncology provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the high potential of our Invir.IO™ platform. We look forward to working with Randox and to generating novel product candidates which combine the merits of oncolytic virotherapy and local delivery of therapeutic payloads. We believe such targeted expression of therapeutic agents including immune checkpoint inhibitors will better potentiate the tumour microenvironment and paves the way for the development of a broad range of innovative cancer treatments.”
For further information about Randox’s collaboration with Transgene, please visit our Randox Biosciences website. Click here.
If you have any additional questions please contact Randox PR by phoning 028 9442 2413 or emailing RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox Evidence Investigator used in major HIV/AIDS study
The Department of Clinical Biochemistry in the Royal Free Hospital in London has recently completed a major HIV/AIDS study into the cause of lipodystrophy, with the help of the Randox Evidence Investigator.
Lipodystrophy is a disorder in which the body’s distribution of fat undergoes serious changes. People with lipodystrophy can suffer from the build-up, the loss, or the redistribution of body fat and HIV/AIDS patients often suffer from the disorder.
The exact reason for its cause and progression is not completely understood, but it is thought that it can sometimes be triggered by an infection within the body.
The Department of Clinical Biochemistry in the Royal Free Hospital, alongside the Department of Pharmacology, The Institute of Biomedical Statistics and Infectious and Tropical Diseases, all at the University of Belgrade in Serbia, therefore launched a study to determine the relationship between levels of interleukins in HIV/AIDS patients and the presence or lack of lipodystrophy. Interleukins are produced by white blood cells to stimulate the immune response.
The Randox Evidence Investigator, a semi-automated benchtop analyser, which is capable of processing up to 2376 tests per hour, was used to measure interleukins IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10, in 66 HIV/AIDS patients. The results demonstrated that lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10 influenced lipodystrophy in those people.
Significantly lower levels of IL-4 and IL-10 were observed in patients suffering from lipodystrophy compared to those who did not suffer from lipodystrophy. The interleukin levels were measured using the Cytokine Array I that utilises Randox’s Biochip Array Technology and enabled all of the tests to be performed simultaneously on the patient sample.
These results show for the first time a significant correlation between IL-4 levels and lipodystrophy in HIV/AIDS patients, making the study a significant breakthrough in understanding the development of the condition and potential therapy.
You can find more information about the study on PubMed: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28189545
For more information on our Evidence Series range of Biochip immunoanalysers please visit www.randox.com/multiplex-testing or email EvidenceSeries@randox.com
Cutting-edge research and testing centre opens at Randox Science Park
Following the success of the first ever Randox Health Grand National, global health diagnostics company Randox has today announced the official opening of its new central laboratory, Randox Clinical Laboratory Services (RCLS), at the recently acquired Randox Science Park in Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Situated at this new state of the art biohub, the RCLS accredited lab now houses Randox’s latest blood screening equipment – the pioneering Evolution machine. This new technology enables the labs to conduct a full range of niche and standard research testing, as well as current health testing for the company’s Randox Health division, which offers the world’s most comprehensive full body health analysis.
Research areas at the newly accredited laboratory include but are not exclusive to cancer, fertility, heart, inflammation, stroke and kidney health, both in-house and collaboratively with external organisations. Current and past collaborations include an Acute Kidney Injury Study with the Royal Victoria Hospital, a Bladder Cancer Study in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast and The Belfast Trust, a Stroke and Brain Injury study with Cambridge University, and key partnerships with a number of major pharmaceutical companies.
A staggering 222 clinical diagnostic tests are currently run routinely with the lab, with more tests pending accreditation in the coming months.
Ann-Marie Jennings, Laboratory Manager for Randox Clinical Laboratory Services, explained that the new facilities will allow RCLS to increase their output and enter new markets;
“Randox Clinical Laboratory Services has been operational for a number of years in our headquarters in Crumlin, near the Belfast International Airport. Now that we have moved to our new, purpose-built labs in the Randox Science Park, we have the ability to increase the output of both our health testing and our research testing. This involves expanding our team of experienced scientists, working towards further accreditations and furthermore setting up independent labs in Dubai, LA, Holywood and Liverpool in addition to our current labs in Antrim and London.”
Thanks to the new Randox Science Park facilities, the company will now be able to provide an increasingly wide range of testing services to Biotechnology and In Vitro Diagnostic companies, and will deliver to pharmaceutical companies the testing services required to support their drug development projects, in addition to the testing provided to research organisations,
With the ability to conduct an unrivalled range of health testing – haematology, biochemistry and immunoassay – all under one roof, the laboratory offers unparalleled support services to the dynamic and growing healthcare industry. With a greater understanding of human complexity, pharmaceutical companies are now focusing on developing safer drugs tailored to specific patient groups or sub-groups and the expansion plans in motion at RCLS will help these organisations bring new drugs to market faster.
Ann-Marie continued;
“On our patented Randox Biochip Array Technology we can customize bespoke testing platforms based on the requirements of each drug development project, which can be a challenging process. From initial product development to clinical trial stages there can be a number of barriers and time constraints before drugs are successfully released to the public. We’re confident that our newly enhanced capabilities will benefit patients suffering from conditions in most need of research by offering pharmaceutical companies at the forefront of pioneering research, with the latest technological developments.”
For more information about RCLS please contact Randox PR on 028 9442 2413 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Our commitment to Research and Development at Randox
With a major focus in R&D, Randox scientists work in pioneering research into a range of common illnesses such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer’s disease. Over 16% of turnover is reinvested in R&D, and therefore, we have more new tests in development than any other diagnostic company.
Of our 1400-strong workforce, almost 400 are research scientists and engineers. Over the past year alone these highly-skilled specialists have developed a new test for Alzheimer’s disease, a bladder cancer test and a test with the ability to stratify Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients, to determine patient response before chemotherapeutic treatment.
We were also the first company in the world to bring to market a test to detect ‘Flakka’, a dangerous and highly addictive new psychoactive substance.
Most recently we announced the official opening of our new research and testing laboratory, Randox Clinical Laboratory Services (RCLS), at the Randox Science Park in Antrim, Northern Ireland.
Research areas at the newly accredited laboratory include but are not exclusive to cancer, fertility, heart, inflammation, stroke and kidney health, both in-house and collaboratively with external organisations.
Current and past collaborations include an Acute Kidney Injury Study with the Royal Victoria Hospital, a Bladder Cancer Study in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast and The Belfast Trust, a Stroke and Brain Injury study with Cambridge University, and key partnerships with a number of major pharmaceutical companies.
Our R&D projects are known across the world for their ingenuity and relevance to current health issues.
Both our Bladder Cancer project and our Acute Myeloid Leukemia projects were awarded Innovate UK Research Awards, which enabled economic studies to be carried out by The National Institute for Health Research Diagnostic Evidence Co-Operative. These DECs will investigate the economic benefits of the new diagnostic tests for The National Health Service, and their role in the current patient care pathway.
Our revolutionary Alzheimer’s disease test was presented with a NACB / AACC Distinguished Abstract Award at the American Association for Clinical Chemistry Annual Scientific Meeting and Clinical Lab Expo, in Philadelphia.
We have also recently established a collaborative agreement with Dr. Carl Novina at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. The goal of this collaboration is to develop therapeutic antibodies that will be incorporated into a platform technology that can reprogram patients’ immune systems to attack cancers.
Our research and development programme at Randox is continuously evolving to address the most pressing health issues. We are committed to improving health worldwide and as such will continue to focus our R&D efforts where they are most needed.
Please see below for some examples of our latest research and development news stories.
2017 Randox Health Grand National Trophy Statue unveiled at Aintree Racecourse
A giant replica of the 2017 Randox Health Grand National trophy is being installed at Aintree Racecourse ahead of the world’s greatest horse race. The design was unveiled for the first time today during the Northern media lunch.
The statue standing at almost 6 meters, which will be seen by over 600 million people during the three day festival, depicts the same level of detail as the real trophy. The stunning piece is solid silver gilded with gold, and depicts horses galloping through strands of DNA.
A spot will be marked out near the statute directing race-goers where to stand to get a picture of them ‘holding’ the trophy. It is part of Randox Health’s plan to get the nation to #FeelLikeAWinner during the festival, even if they won’t be at Aintree. They hope people at the racecourse will share the trophy images on social media with people at home posting selfies with their cherished trophies!
Dr. Peter FitzGerald, Founder and Managing Director of Randox Health, commented;
“With the Randox Health Grand National being the greatest horse race in the world we wanted to give everyone a chance to feel like a winner throughout the festival. We’re very proud of the trophy and its one people can enjoy too. We want to give everybody the opportunity to feel part of this year’s festival even if they’re not here, which is why we’re encouraging them to share their own trophy selfies with the racing fans at Aintree. The Randox Health Grand National is a national occasion we want to share and we hope that we can encourage that.”
John Baker, Managing Director for Aintree Racecourse, commented;
“We’re delighted and honoured to work with Randox as a long term partner and we look forward to many years of success. With less than three weeks to go until the Randox Health Grand National Festival, we’re in great shape with the Aintree site looking tremendous and ticket sales going very well. We’re anticipating three days of thrilling racing with high quality entries and we look forward to plenty of fun and excitement off the track as well. The Aintree and Randox teams are working extremely hard to put on the best possible experience for our racegoers so we look forward to opening the gates on Thursday 6 April and welcoming everyone for a fantastic three days.”
The official reveal of the trophy statue has come after the announcement that for each of its five years of sponsorship, Randox Health, the title partner of the Randox Health Grand National, will create a unique winner’s trophy, and each member of the winning team – trainer, jockey and groom – will receive their own trophy in recognition of the teamwork that goes into achieving such monumental success.
The coveted trophy was unveiled by Sir Anthony McCoy and Dr Peter FitzGerald at the Weights Evening Reception at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
For more information about Randox Health Grand National Horse please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
Randox Biosciences and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute Celebrate Success of Transatlantic Partnership
Today, Randox Biosciences and Dana Farber Cancer Institute highlighted the milestones achieved during their joint partnership. The collaborative partnership was the focus of the Boston-Ireland Precision Medicine Seminar with partners the City of Boston and the Massachusetts Life Science Center (MLSC).
The City of Boston Office of Economic Development and the Massachusetts Life Science Center are collaborating with Randox Biosciences on an innovative event to discuss the Boston-Ireland linkage in the field of Precision Medicine. The event will build business and science relationships between leading life science organizations. The program will highlight Boston as a global life science hub and illustrate why global leaders like Randox are seeking to build business partnerships in the area.
“Dana-Farber is a world-renowned name in the field of oncology and it is great to be working on this exciting new technology which is being developed in the lab of Dr. Novina.” Marshall Dunlop of Randox Laboratories said.
In the last year, the clinical diagnostics and life sciences provider Randox Laboratories has established a collaborative agreement with Dr. Carl Novina at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. The goal of this collaboration is to develop therapeutic antibodies that will be incorporated into a platform technology that can reprogram patients’ immune systems to attack cancers.
“I am excited to work with Randox and use these important antibody technologies to help develop a novel cancer therapy that could potentially make a real difference for cancer patients.” said Dr. Carl Novina, Dana Farber Cancer Institute.
The Randox BioSciences and Dana Farber relationship highlights the close ties between Boston, Massachusetts and Ireland and provides another example of the strengths of Boston and Ireland in the life sciences sector. The life sciences industry continues to thrive all across Boston, from Longwood Medical Area – a world-famous medical campus with over 43,000 scientists, researchers, and staff including over 19,000 students – to the South Boston Waterfront District, the city’s newest cluster of high tech research, development, and manufacturing firms.
The City of Boston Chief of Economic Development John Barros said, “Mayor Martin J. Walsh is proud of Boston’s historic links with Ireland and the diverse economic bridges these links have created today. Within the life sciences alone, our researchers and businesses work together in new ways every day to shape how we treat, cure, and innovate together. By partnering with Randox and other leaders in the field, we continue to tackle global challenges together. Here at the City of Boston, we are committed to maintaining open doors as a global and welcoming city. These international partnerships will continue to play an active role in fostering opportunities for collaboration and growth.”
“Collaboration is the key ingredient that makes Massachusetts the best place in the world to innovate,” said Travis McCready, President & CEO of the MLSC. “It is great to see Randox collaborating with the leading scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, toward the development of improved, targeted treatments for cancer patients.”
For more information about the Precision Medicine Seminar in Boston please contact Randox PR on 028 9445 1016 or email RandoxPR@randox.com
New Randox project committed to helping bladder cancer patients
Scientists at global healthcare company Randox, recently unveiled as the sponsors for The Grand National 2017 under the banner of Randox Health, today announced the company has been awarded an Innovate UK research award, for their pioneering work in the development of a diagnostic test for the detection of bladder cancer in haematuria patients.
The urine-based test is being developed in collaboration with The Belfast Trust and Queen’s University Belfast, and has been described by the project’s Lead Scientist at Randox, Dr Mark Ruddock, as the “holy grail” of diagnostic tests to stratify patients with haemeaturia (blood in the urine), who are at high risk of bladder cancer;
“Currently, all haematuria patients are ‘red-flagged’ as candidates for an invasive procedure called a cystoscopy (a camera inserted into the bladder), which is both embarrassing and uncomfortable for the patient. In comparison, the revolutionary Randox test is based on a simple urine sample so is non-invasive and much more comfortable for the patient.”
Considering less than 20% of patients with visible haematuria, and less than 5% with invisible haematuria are found to have bladder cancer, Dr Ruddock highlighted the urgent need for a test that can inform decisions for patients who present with haematuria;
“In the UK, over £33.5 million is spent each year managing patients with haematuria who are subsequently found not to have bladder cancer. As such, haematuria is a significant healthcare burden, which is only set to increase because of our aging population. Use of this new test will allow urology teams the opportunity to reduce the number of unnecessary cystoscopies carried out on patients identified as ‘low risk’, and stratify patients identified as ‘high risk’. This will result in significant healthcare savings, and an improvement in the waiting times for haematuria patients who do require diagnostic services ie. those patients deemed ‘high-risk’.”
Randox was successful in winning funding for phase one of the project, which has enabled an economic study to be carried out by The National Institute for Health Research Diagnostic Evidence Co-Operative Leeds who will investigate the economic benefits of the new diagnostic test for The National Health Service, and its role in the current patient care pathway. On successful completion of phase one, Randox will be eligible to apply for phase two funding.
Professor Peter Selby, Professor of Cancer Medicine at the University of Leeds, and Director of the NIHR Diagnostic Evidence Cooperative Leeds, said:
“Bladder cancer is a very important disease which can be life threatening but also in many patients it can generate great anxiety, frequent hospital visits and many investigations. The new approach being developed by Randox has the potential to save lives and improve the quality of lives of many people at risk of bladder cancer.”
“Diagnostic Classifier for risk stratification of haematuria patients” was selected by Innovate UK in the “Stratified Medicine: connecting the UK infrastructure” competition.
Evidence Immunoassay Control
Multi-analyte immunoassay control designed for use in the routine monitoring of the Randox Fertility, Thyroid and Tumour Marker Arrays.
Features & Benefits
- Lyophilised for enhanced stability
- Assayed values available for Randox Biochip systems
- 100% human serum
- Stable to expiry date at 2oC – 8oC
- Reconstituted stability of 7 days at 2oC – 8oC or 4 weeks at -20oC
| Description | Size | Analytes | Cat No | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence Immunoassay Control | 4 x 3 x 5ml | 14 | EV3570 | |
Analytes
- CEA
- Estradiol
- FSH
- Free T4
- Free T3
- Leutinising Hormone
- Prolactin
- Progesterone
- PSA (Total)
- PSA (Free)
- Testosterone
- Total T4
- Total T3
- TSH