Peer-Reviewed Clinical Study Shows ID Genomics' Bacterial Fingerprinting Technology Can Reduce Prescription Errors and Antibiotic Overuse at the Point-of-Care

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwired - Mar 29, 2017) - Newly published, peer-reviewed results of observational clinical research have demonstrated that ID Genomics' "bacterial fingerprinting" technology has the potential to improve antibiotic prescribing, reducing prescription errors and the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics, which could ultimately improve patient outcomes and slow the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The paper, "Bacterial Clonal Diagnostics as a Tool for Evidence-Based Empiric Antibiotic Selection," was published in PLOS ONE by authors affiliated with the University of Washington, Kaiser Permanente Washington, Seattle Children's Research Institute, the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, the University of Minnesota, and ID Genomics, Inc.

The paper reveals that ID Genomics' surveillance-based diagnostics test, CLoNeT™, reduces antibiotic prescription errors multifold, to as low as 5 percent. This low rate could dramatically reduce the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics that are becoming increasingly ineffective as more bacteria become resistant to treatment. The results are a key validation of ID Genomics' technology as the company continues to pursue a robust regulatory strategy to bring the product to market.

The study, conducted at the clinical lab of a large urgent care facility in Seattle, compared the current standard treatment approach of urinary tract infections (UTIs) with treatment options based on ID Genomics' technology, which quickly identifies the likely resistance profile of each patient's infection. The resistance profiles are then matched to the most effective antibiotic treatment available, many hours or days before conventional laboratory results are available.

"Precision technology is a critical tool for preventing the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics by encouraging the use of first-line antibiotics, as recommended by current guidelines," said Dr. Evgeni Sokurenko, Co-Founder of ID Genomics and Professor of Microbiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. "The results in this article show how ID Genomics' system may improve patient outcomes. We are looking forward to applying the technique to a broad range of infectious diseases."

ID Genomics' CLoNeT™ rapid diagnostic test can determine the bacterial fingerprint of different strains of the main pathogen in most UTIs (Escherichia coli) in less than 30 minutes. This fingerprint is then matched against the company's BactNet™ reference database of previously collected strains and their known antibiotic profiles. With specific information about a particular strain's potential resistance, an individual patient can be prescribed the antibiotic best suited to their infection. The 'big data' approach merges epidemiological surveillance, antimicrobial stewardship, and molecular diagnostics to bring precision medicine directly to the point of care.

The journal article's results further demonstrate the potential for ID Genomics' system to revolutionize how doctors treat infectious diseases. As the company moves the technology along its regulatory pathway, it will coordinate additional research and conduct FDA-compliant clinical trials that are expected to introduce the technology into health care markets. Once available, the new system will provide medical practitioners with a simple-to-use, economical diagnostic tool that can rapidly and accurately assist in patient management decisions and reduce healthcare costs.

"Results from this study provide proof-of-concept that a clonal diagnostic approach to bacterial identification can be more accurate than empiric therapy decisions alone, and faster than traditional culture approaches," said Dr. Thomas Fritsche, clinical microbiologist and Medical Director of Laboratory Medicine at the Marshfield Clinic in Wisconsin. "As the technology is developed for use in high-throughput outpatient settings, the potential benefits for patient management and outcomes, and antimicrobial stewardship through improved antibiotic utilization, are considerable."

CloNet™ and BactNet™ will also provide real-time epidemiological surveillance to track the spread and emergence of new and existing drug-resistant "superbugs." With its ability to respond to patient needs while simultaneously detecting infectious agent dynamics in local communities, hospital wards and even globally, the BactNet™ network will be the first precision surveillance mechanism of its kind. The journal article also describes that while local surveillance information provides the most accurate results, the application of general, global surveillance data also permits substantial improvements in treatment decisions, patient management and antimicrobial stewardship.

About ID Genomics
ID Genomics is a Seattle-based health technology company that is developing rapid point-of-care diagnostics for infectious diseases. Its proprietary CLoNeT™ and BactNet™ DNA fingerprinting-based diagnostics systems will leverage key discoveries in microbiology and bacterial genomics to improve patient outcomes, decrease costs, and ultimately reduce the spread of infectious diseases. Research has shown that ID Genomics' technology gives health care providers information about essential characteristics of the infecting bacteria, enabling them to accurately prescribe correct antibiotics for infectious diseases in less than 30 minutes. More information is available online at www.idgenomics.com.