Astrotech’s 1st Detect Announces Successful Pre-Clinical Trials for Mass Spectrometer Used as a Rapid Bedside Breathalyzer
June 15 2017 - 7:00AM
Business Wire
Astrotech (NASDAQ: ASTC) subsidiary 1st Detect, in collaboration
with The University of Texas Health Science Center, now called UT
Health San Antonio, announced positive preliminary results in
pre-clinical trials for the BreathDetect 1000 – a rapid bedside
breathalyzer for detecting bacterial infections in the respiratory
tract, such as hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP).
Working with cystic fibrosis patients at a University Health
System clinic in San Antonio, Dr. Edward G Brooks, MD and his team
are targeting two of the most fatal bacterial strains found in HAP.
Currently in the verification and validation phase after
conducting successful bacterial culture headspace trials, the first
human trials were initiated on May 22, 2017.
Dr. Brooks said: “1st Detect’s BreathDetect 1000 has
successfully identified several unique volatile organic compound
(VOC) metabolites from Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas bacteria in
human breath samples. The BreathDetect 1000 could significantly
enhance the physician’s ability to treat patients correctly. By
sampling directly from the lungs, the BreathDetect 1000 would speed
up the current diagnosis process substantially – which, in turn,
could reduce the misdiagnosis of diseases and subsequent antibiotic
resistance; decrease the length of hospital stays; and most
importantly, save lives.”
With current diagnosis methods, physicians wait up to three days
for the lab to identify the organism, and another two days to
receive the antibiotic resistance profile. In the meantime, they
prescribe broad spectrum antibiotics – leading to the urgent public
health threat of antibiotic resistance and contributing to the
re-emergence of deadly diseases such as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
“In this early stage of product validation, we’re extremely
encouraged by the BreathDetect 1000’s high level of specificity and
the progress UT Health San Antonio has made acquiring and
validating human breath samples,” said Thomas B. Pickens III, CEO
of 1st Detect and parent company Astrotech. Additional human
subject testing and development is underway.
About Astrotech
Astrotech Corporation (NASDAQ: ASTC) is an innovative science
and technology company that invents, acquires, and commercializes
technological innovations sourced from research institutions,
laboratories, universities, and internally, and then funds,
manages, and builds proprietary, scalable start-up companies for
profitable divestiture to market leaders to maximize shareholder
value. Sourced from Oak Ridge Laboratory’s chemical analyzer
research, 1st Detect develops, manufactures,
and sells chemical analyzers for use in the security, defense,
healthcare, food and beverage, and environmental markets. Sourced
from decades of image research from the laboratories of IBM and
Kodak, Astral Images sells film-to-digital image
enhancement, defect removal and color correction software, and post
processing services providing economically feasible conversion of
television and feature 35mm and 16mm films to the new 4K ultra-high
definition (UHD), high-dynamic range (HDR) format necessary for the
new generation of digital distribution. Sourced from NASA’s
extensive microgravity research, Astrogenetix is applying a
fast-track, on-orbit discovery platform using the International
Space Station to develop vaccines and other therapeutics.
Demonstrating its entrepreneurial strategy, Astrotech management
sold its state-of-the-art satellite servicing operations to
Lockheed Martin in August 2014. Astrotech has operations throughout
Texas and is headquartered in Austin. For information, please visit
www.astrotechcorp.com.
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are
made pursuant to the Safe Harbor provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking
statements are subject to risks, trends, and uncertainties that
could cause actual results to be materially different from the
forward-looking statement. These factors include, but are not
limited to, whether we can successfully develop our proprietary
technologies and whether the market will accept our products and
services, as well as other risk factors and business considerations
described in the Company’s Securities and Exchange Commission
filings including the annual report on Form 10-K. Any
forward-looking statements in this document should be evaluated in
light of these important risk factors. The Company assumes no
obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170615005156/en/
Company Contact:Astrotech CorporationNicole Conser,
512-485-9530Marketing DirectororIR Contact:LHA Investor
RelationsCathy Mattison and Kirsten Chapman,
415-433-3777ir@astrotechcorp.com
Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024
Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024