A Medical Device Daily

Sysmex (Kobe, Japan) reported Monday an agreement with bioMerieux (BIM; Paris) to distribute Sysmex’s UF-100i urinalysis system in microbiology laboratories.

Sysmex has developed the fluorescence flow cytometry UF-1000i urinalysis system, a highly standardized and automated solution. BIM will provide its extensive customer base with this new technology and leverage its expertise and reputation in microbiology to expand the market. Commercialization by BIM will start in Europe in September 2007 and be followed by the U.S. and other countries at the beginning of 2008.

“The collaboration with bioMrieux will allow us to leverage our proven technology of particle analysis to tap into a new market segment and fuel further growth of our core business,” said Hisashi Ietsugu, president of Sysmex. ”This agreement complements our existing partnerships for distributing the UF instrument series for use in other IVD segments.”

Sysmex is involved in clinical laboratory testing of blood, urine and other specimens. BIM provides diagnostic solutions (reagents, instruments, software) which determine the source of disease and contamination to improve patient health and ensure consumer safety.

In other agreement news:

• Alsius (Irvine, California) reported the award of a national agreement with Amerinet (St. Louis) The agreement covers a three year period ending on June 30, 2010 and involves collaboration across sales marketing and customer services activities. Through this agreement Alsius is currently the only provider to Amerinet hospitals of intravascular temperature management systems to administer patient cooling and warming therapy.

Alsius is a commercial-stage medical device company that develops products to control patient temperature in hospital critical care centers. Amerinet partners with healthcare providers to improve operating margins.

• Flagship Global Health (New York) reported it signed an agreement with Mt. Sinai Hospital (New York) to provide Flagship members with priority access to the hospital’s program for diagnostic and preventive medicine. Flagship members will have access to Mt. Sinai’s physical, a full day health evaluation, which lincludes non-invasive imaging technologies and comprehensive tests.

The tests results are processed and reviewed with the patient the same day..Flagship is a membership-based, international company dedicated to providing priority access to the world’s leading medical specialists.