(Lee’s Summit, MO – February 4, 2019) – Today, Viracor Eurofins announces the launch of their newest antiviral resistance test, Baloxavir marboxil (XOFLUZA™) Influenza A Antiviral Resistance PCR. The test was developed for the detection of I38T/M/F mutations in H3N2 and 2009 H1N1 strains of Influenza A (flu A) to aid in the evaluation of resistance to the recent FDA approved drug. Results will be available to healthcare providers within 8-12 hours from receipt of a nasopharyngeal swab at Viracor’s laboratory.
Identifying flu A resistance to baloxavir marboxil may be beneficial in critical and immunocompromised patients undergoing solid organ or hematopoietic cell transplants. Early knowledge of infection by a drug resistant strain of flu A could help healthcare providers quickly adjust treatment plans for patients that are at risk for adverse flu events. Results from clinical trials reported resistance incidences of 9-20% for H3N2 and 3-5% for H1 influenza A strains. "The emergence of polymerase acidic protein variants with I38T/M/F substitutions conferring reduced susceptibility to baloxavir occurred in 2.2% and 9.7% of baloxavir recipients in the phase 2 trial & phase 3 trial, respectively."1
David Morgan, President of Viracor Eurofins, said “Rapidly identifying patients infected with resistant influenza A strains allows physicians to know which patients will not benefit from baloxavir treatment, even for cases in which the drug has already been given. Physicians can then implement treatment plans based on this highly relevant information.”
Please visit viracor-eurofins.com/respiratory for more information on Viracor’s testing for respiratory and flu season.
About Viracor Eurofins
With over 30 years of specialized expertise in infectious disease, immunology and allergy testing for immunocompromised and critical patients, Viracor Eurofins is committed to helping medical professionals, transplant teams, reference laboratories and biopharmaceutical companies get results faster, when it matters most. Viracor is passionate about delivering value to its clients by providing timely, actionable information, never losing sight of the connection between the testing it performs and
the patients it ultimately serves.
Viracor is a 100 percent subsidiary of Eurofins Scientific (EUFI.PA), the global leader in bio-analytical testing, and one of the world leaders in genomic services. For more information, please visit www.eurofins.com and www.viracor-eurofins.com.
About Eurofins – a global leader in bio-analysis
Eurofins Scientific through its subsidiaries (hereinafter sometimes “Eurofins” or “the Group”) believes it is a scientific leader in food, environment and pharmaceutical products testing and in agroscience CRO services. It is also one of the independent market leaders in certain testing and laboratory services for genomics, discovery pharmacology, forensics, CDMO, advanced material sciences and for supporting clinical studies. In addition, Eurofins is one of the emerging players in specialty clinical diagnostic testing in Europe and the USA. With over 45,000 staff in more than 650 laboratories across 45 countries, Eurofins offers a portfolio of over 150,000 analytical methods for evaluating the safety, identity, composition, authenticity, origin and purity of biological substances and products, as well as for innovative clinical diagnostic. The Group objective is to provide its customers with high-quality services, accurate results on time and expert advice by its highly qualified staff.
Eurofins is committed to pursuing its dynamic growth strategy by expanding both its technology portfolio and its geographic reach. Through R&D and acquisitions, the Group draws on the latest developments in the field of biotechnology and analytical chemistry to offer its clients unique analytical solutions and the most comprehensive range of testing methods.
As one of the most innovative and quality oriented international players in its industry, Eurofins is ideally positioned to support its clients’ increasingly stringent quality and safety standards and the expanding demands of regulatory authorities around the world.
The shares of Eurofins Scientific are listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN FR0000038259, Reuters EUFI.PA, Bloomberg ERF FP)
Reference
1The New England Journal of Medicine, "Baloxavir Marboxil for Uncomplicated Influenza in Adults and Adolescents" September 6, 2018 Vol. 379, No. 10