WALTHAM, Mass. – Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the
world leader in serving science, today announced that it has extended its
licensing agreement with Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. to ensure
continued use of the Thermo Scientific B·R·A·H·M·S PCT assay on Wako laboratory
systems, including SphereLight™ and the new microfluidics-based in vitro
diagnostics analyzer, µTASWako™ i30. The PCT assay is used on Wako instruments
to test patients suspected of having sepsis.
“Extending this agreement with Wako ensures that PCT testing
will continue to be available to as many patients as possible, said Ken Berger,
senior vice president of Thermo Fishers specialty diagnostics business,
“Earlier diagnosis of sepsis enables dramatic cost-savings for healthcare
providers and better treatment of their patients.”
Severe sepsis strikes more than 750,000 Americans each year,
and between 28 to 50 percent patients die within the first month of diagnosis.
Hospital costs to treat severe sepsis in the U.S. are estimated at $16 billion
dollars annually. Much of this cost is attributed to misdiagnosis or delayed
diagnosis, making faster, more accurate detection a national, if not global,
imperative. Research published in Critical Care Medicine showed that each hour
of delay in therapy can decrease chances of patient survival by 7.6 percent.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science. Our
mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and
safer. With revenues of $12 billion, we have approximately 39,000 employees and
serve customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and
clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government
agencies, as well as in environmental and process control industries. We create
value for our key stakeholders through three premier brands, Thermo Scientific,
Fisher Scientific and Unity™ Lab Services, which offer a unique combination of
innovative technologies, convenient purchasing options and a single solution
for laboratory operations management. Our products and services help our
customers solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics and
increase laboratory productivity. Visit www.thermofisher.com.
About Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.
Founded in 1922, Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. has been engaged in the
development and manufacture of high-quality products as a comprehensive reagent
manufacturer capable of responding to research needs in cutting-edge areas. At
present, we use our unique technological capabilities to focus on three key
operational areas, namely, Diagnostic Reagents, Laboratory Chemicals, and
Specialty Chemicals to meet the diverse requirements of medical professionals,
researchers, and industry. The core competence of Wako Pure Chemical
Industries, Ltd. lies in our technological strength which creates innovative
products of the highest quality. We provide outstanding quality and exceptional
services to countries around the world, through Wako Pure Chemical Industries,
Ltd., Wako Chemicals GmbH and Wako Chemicals USA, Inc. Visit www.wako-chem.co.jp.
