A Medical Device Daily

Accelr8 Technology (Denver) reported it has started joint research programs with Washington University School of Medicine (St. Louis) and the Denver Health and Hospital Authority.

The two institutions will conduct preclinical studies to identify antibiotic resistance mechanisms using Accelr8’s patented analytical methods.

The company said its BACcel system, in development, will speed the diagnosis of infections in critically ill patients, particularly for healthcare-associated infections. Organisms targeted by the system include MRSA, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella, E. coli and related microbes.

The first phase of the work will replicate studies on Accelr8’s rapid MRSA identification method. Accelr8 scientists have already presented data that demonstrated the ability to rapidly identify difficult MRSA strains in a challenge collection provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Atlanta).

The new studies will expand the number of isolates (pure bacterial strains) used to statistically characterize Accelr8’s test performance. These new isolates will include organisms obtained from recent cases and will thus include strain variations that reflect current bacterial populations.

After fulfillment of the current agreements, the company said it plans to extend studies to additional test types.

David Howson, Accelr8’s president, said, “These preclinical studies will use laboratory instruments that allow rapid adaptation and upgrading as we proceed with product development. This plan will give us direct feedback from actual field experience as we integrate each additional test or engineering advance into the system.”

In December, Accelr8 reported that BD (Franklin Lakes, New Jersey) purchased an exclusive right to negotiate for a relationship to develop Accelr8’s BACcel rapid diagnostic platform (Medical Device Daily, Dec. 17, 2007).

In other agreements: Affiliated Computer Services (ACS; Dallas) and Ingenix (Minneapolis) reported an alliance to provide Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS) decision support solutions to state governments.

The companies will collaborate to supply decision support solutions for ACS’ state MMIS initiatives. ACS will license its portfolio of federally certified decision support technologies to Ingenix, which will provide ACS’ MMIS clients with its array of decision support methodologies, software applications and consulting services. Decision support systems analyze data to help health administrators assess Medicaid program status, analyze healthcare policy, monitor budget trends and measure program performance.

“This partnership allows us to enhance our current systems and deliver better service to our Medicaid clients,” said Christopher Deelsnyder, ACS senior VP and managing director, Government Healthcare Solutions.

Impact Pro for Care Management is Ingenix’ platform for helping Medicaid programs better identify and manage both chronic and acute health conditions. This predictive modeling and care management tool is being used by the ACS-Ingenix alliance to support the State of Mississippi’s Division of Medicaid.