bioMérieux sees strong sales growth in first half of 2016
Expanded business portfolio and launch of new database and reagent kits boosts company momentum
bioMérieux sales in the first half of the 2016 financial year rose by 10.9% at constant exchange rates to €1,001m. The company says that this robust sales momentum offset the negative currency effect and predicts organic sales growth for the full year at or above the higher end of the previously targeted 6-8% range.
'Backed by its expanded business portfolio and broad global market footprint, bioMérieux has accelerated its organic sales growth and improved its operating margins,' said Alexandre Mérieux, Chief Executive Officer.
In July the company launched the first CE-marked database and reagent kits for the identification of mycobacteria, Nocardia, and moulds in a MALDI-TOF (Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization – Time Of Flight) Mass Spectrometry System. This development further enhances the VITEK MS system’s performance by adding 297 new species including identification of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis (TB) group, 45 species of the most frequent non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), and 48 of the most medically important moulds.
The VITEK MS extended database now enables the identification within minutes of 1,046 species representing 15,172 distinct strains of bacteria, yeasts and moulds. The convenient, user-friendly reagent kits for use with this highly automated mass spectrometry system provide lab professionals with extremely reliable results.
Mycobacteria, Nocardia and moulds, which cause tuberculosis, lung and bone infections, and other serious organ infections, are difficult to identify organisms, requiring days or weeks of specific culture conditions for appropriate growth and subsequent advanced methods for reliable identification to species level. The updated VITEK MS system, however, can now offer simple, rapid and reliable identification of these pathogens.
'As a world leader in microbiology, one of our priorities is to develop high medical value solutions which allow rapid and accurate detection of micro-organisms,' said François Lacoste, bioMérieux Corporate VP, Clinical Unit. 'Introducing the VITEK MS new features for the rapid identification of these three additional groups of important pathogens enhances our diagnostic solutions for the benefit of healthcare providers, with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.'