Wageningen, The Netherlands, February 9, 2015 – Within a period of just three years carbapenem resistance in Klebsiella pneumoniae has nearly doubled in the EU from 4.6{a6f6786ae64c84f269dfe21a62c200b8bf7c1cd02b320322b3de75a7f987125c} in 2010 to 8.3{a6f6786ae64c84f269dfe21a62c200b8bf7c1cd02b320322b3de75a7f987125c} in 2013 according to a press release issued last November by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)1 . Check-Points Health B.V. today releases data demonstrating how one of its molecular in vitro diagnostic assays can help uncover the complex epidemiology of this emerging healthcare threat.

In this study2 presented at the most recent ICAAC meeting in Washington DC, researchers from Mayo Clinic reported that Check-Points Health’s Check-MDR CT103 microarray assay was able to find more antibiotic resistance genes than conventional molecular techniques. Specifically, in 39{a6f6786ae64c84f269dfe21a62c200b8bf7c1cd02b320322b3de75a7f987125c} of isolates tested (42 out of 109) the highly multiplex detection offered by Check-Points Health’s microarray assay enabled the identification of additional resistance genes originally not known to be present.

“By casting such a wide net the microarray assay is a truly unprecedented tool for gaining broad insight into the molecular epidemiology of these resistant bacteria within just one working day. We believe, as the experts in Gram-negative resistance detection, that building a detailed picture of this issue is an important first step in fighting the antibiotic resistance threat. But we don’t want to stop there”, says Check-Points Health’s CEO and founder Joost Thijssen.

“To reduce the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant bacteria, European3 and US experts4 recommend implementing rapid and accurate methods for preventive screening of at risk patients in healthcare facilities. For this reason we have recently introduced the Check-Direct CPE, a CE-IVD marked real-time PCR assay for use in every hospital and with multiple real-time PCR systems, specifically designed to deliver rapid (2 hour) carbapenemase screening results.”

About Check-Points Health B.V. Check-Points Health is a privately held developer and manufacturer of in vitro diagnostic assays based in Wageningen, the Netherlands. Founded in 2008 as a part of Check-Points B.V., Check-Points Health aims to improve the control and prevention of antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative bacteria – such as carbapenemases, ESBLs and AmpCs – through combining its unique know-how of this field with its molecular detection technologies. The CE-IVD marked products range from a proprietary microarray system for comprehensive identification of resistance genes to assays for rapid screening in as fast as 2 hours based on real-time PCR.