ROCKVILLE, Maryland, May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Tetracore, Inc today announced the deployment of the Cirrus DX™ point of care molecular solution for the detection of Zika virus, along with Dengue virus and Chikungunya virus. In collaboration with the Naval Infectious Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory (NIDDL), Naval Medical Research Center, the Cirrus DX systems are being installed at The St. George’s Medical School on the island of Grenada.
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The Cirrus DX solution consists of the Tetracore T-COR 8™ instrument and the Collect-to-Test (C2T™) cartridge. The T-COR 8 instrument can run up to eight samples at a time, a built-in battery that can run the instrument up to four hours without direct power, and a unique connectivity capability that allows for access to the instrument from anywhere in the world on a secure network. The C2T cartridge contains all the components necessary to perform a test and does not require precise addition of specimen.
“To date the Cirrus DX solution is used to detect bio-threat agents by first responders and investigators and veterinary testing,” said Dr. Bill Nelson, CEO of Tetracore. “This is the first time the system is being leveraged in a clinical setting, an important milestone for us as we believe the solution provides a leap forward for point of care molecular diagnostic systems.” The testing being deployed also uses a proprietary collection device that will go from a finger stick directly into the C2T cartridge with no other processing. The device can convert whole blood into plasma that is ready for testing.
The first installation starts in Grenada, with plans to include additional islands in the program during the summer, all being supported in real-time from the U.S. and connected to one another.
“Our system will allow the participating Caribbean nations to be able to not just access molecular testing for themselves, but also know the spread of Zika in the region,” said Kyle Armantrout, Director of Human Diagnostics at Tetracore. “The access to real-time data by all the parties involved will give insight to what’s working and where it’s working in terms of control and response.”
About Tetracore, Inc.
Tetracore is a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of diagnostic assays and devices for the detection of biothreat agents, veterinary and human diseases. Located in the Biotechnology Corridor in Rockville, Maryland, Tetracore was founded in 1998 by former United Nations Special Commission biological weapons inspectors and scientists.
For more information about the Cirrus DX solution contact Kyle Armantrout at [email protected], 240-268-5400, or visit www.tetracore.com.
