A Medical Device Daily

Metagenics (San Clemente, California) and BioMeridian (Salt Lake City) reported forming a partnership to provide health practitioners with a new software tool named BioRep. When used in conjunction with BioMeridian's Bioelectrical Impedance Measurement (BIM) equipment, BioRep assists in assessing patient health and recommend “an optimal supplementation protocol,” in less than 20 minutes, the companies said.

BIM equipment, including its Epic Stylus, takes non-invasive, real-time, bioelectrical measurements at points on the skin that licensed health professionals associate with acupoints. The companies said that “reproducible” clinical trials have shown BioMeridian's BIM equipment able to reproduce safe, accurate and repeatable results when tested in human volunteers 18 and older.

The partners launched a joint marketing program in September 2006. Metagenics will introduce the BioMeridian equipment and BioRep software at its seminars, workshops and national events.

Jeff Katke, Metagenics chairman/CEO, and Jake Carter, BioMeridian's president/CEO, in a joint statement, said that the partnership “will provide health practitioners with a unique tool to assist them in quickly and accurately identifying the appropriate supplementation options for their patients. We are excited about the benefits this partnership brings to our practitioner partners.”

Metagenics manufactures what it calls “science-based nutraceuticals” and medical foods sold to healthcare practitioners. The company has been granted for Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) from the NNFA, NSF International and TGA.

BioMeridian manufactures BIM equipment that has received FDA 510(k) (Class II) and CE mark approvals, reporting more than 3,000 BIM devices sold to licensed practitioners and clinics.

In other agreements:

• Iris International (Chatsworth, California), a manufacturer of automated IVD urinalysis systems and devices used in hospitals and clinical reference laboratories, reported that its Iris Diagnostics Division has entered into a five-year agreement to supply and service automated urine microscopy technology for Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings (Burlington, North Carolina). In connection with this agreement, Iris also said that LabCorp has ordered 26 iQ200 Sprint Urine Microscopy Analyzers.

Under the agreement, Iris Diagnostics will provide training, installation, service and related reagents and consumables.

Cesar Garcia, president/CEO of Iris, said, “As stated in our second quarter earnings call, we had a number of multi-site, multi-unit deals in the pipeline and we are pleased to have completed our five-year agreement with LabCorp.”

Dino Alfano, president of Iris Diagnostics, said, “After a comprehensive evaluation process, LabCorp chose our flagship iQ200 Sprint platform, with a throughput of 101 tests per hour and enhanced software that includes digital imaging and Auto-Particle Recognition, which classifies urine particles into 12 categories and quantitatively reports results. Its walk-away convenience in a bench-top system significantly reduces processing time and labor, adding significant value while increasing productivity.”

• Stem Cell Innovations (SCI; Houston/Leiden, the Netherlands), a cell biology company that has developed technology capable of creating a range of human cells from its pluripotent stem cells, reported that it has signed an agreement to supply PluriCells to researchers at Stanford University (Stanford, California). Under the agreement, investigators at Stanford may receive the cells for use in their laboratories.

SCI is developing its PluriCells technology that provides provide an alternative to embryonic stem (ES) cells and are available for broad-based government funding.

The company said it previously presented data demonstrating its ability to grow PluriCells reproducibly without feeder layers and believes they can serve as an alternative to (ES) cells in federally-funded labs.

James Kelly, PhD, CEO of SCI, said, “Our objective is to make our PluriCells widely available to researchers, on an institution-friendly basis, who can move stem cell biology forward in the U.S., in their own labs and without the restrictions imposed by Federal regulation.”