Fighting TB
Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), Franklin Lakes, NJ; and Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), a Swiss foundation developing, evaluating and accelerating implementation of new diagnostic tools for poverty-related diseases, today announced a significant price reduction in the cost of liquid culture testing.
The agreement lowers the cost of BD MGIT reagents. BD's TB diagnostic technologies utilize liquid culture testing protocol providing results faster than traditional, solid media culture, according to a company press release. The liquid culture test, widely used in modern research settings, is particularly effective for stemming the spread of multi-drug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB) in developing countries.
Under the terms of the agreement, the reagents will now be discounted 80 percent. The lower prices will enable more tests to be administered in 39 high-burden countries, as identified by the World Health Organization.
"We are very happy about this price reduction for a needed assay to better and more rapidly detect MDR-TB and XDR-TB. These results are also a direct outcome of a fruitful collaboration with public and private partners such as UNITAID and BD," said Giorgio Roscigno, MD, FIND chief executive officer.
"During a time of severe economic distress, resources are constrained and high-burden countries face intensified healthcare challenges. This agreement means that it will be possible to make this test more accessible and affordable to those who need it most, which is very encouraging and promising."