NEW YORK (360Dx) – Qiagen and DiaSorin announced today that they are working together to pair Qiagen's QuantiFeron-TB diagnostic test with DiaSorin's Liaison family of automated analyzers.
Customers of both companies will now be able to process Qiagen's QuantiFeron-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) assay for latent tuberculosis detection on DiaSorin Liaison platforms, in addition to the standard current workflow. The companies noted that there are more than 7,000 Liaison systems in laboratories worldwide.
QuantiFeron assays such as QFT-Plus are based on QuantiFeron Blood Collection Tubes, which contain key components of the test reaction that is performed in-tube after blood collection. The tubes also contain the QuantiFeron test readout components, which are used to measure the release of interferon gamma after in-tube incubation, indicating latent TB infection.Â
Under the terms of their partnership, the companies are developing a fully automated version of the QuantiFeron test readout components that can be used with the QFT-Plus, and are considering porting additional assays based on the QuantiFeron technology to DiaSorin's platforms.
The partners said they plan to launch a CE-marked version of the new QuantiFeron readout components for use on Liaison XL in the third quarter of 2018, with US availability in 2019. They also expect to launch the new test in China in 2020.
Once the new readout product is launched, customers will be able to purchase the QuantiFeron Blood Collection Tube kit for use on Liaison systems from Qiagen. DiaSorin will be responsible for developing and commercializing the QuantiFeron readout test components, which is being done under a license from Qiagen and includes components purchased from Qiagen. Customers of the currently available QFT-Plus test will continue to purchase it through Qiagen.
"This collaboration creates the opportunity to add unique and differentiating content to the broad assay menu of our flexible, efficient Liaison analyzers," DiaSorin Group CEO Carlo Rosa said in a statement. "We believe that we will be able to further improve this opportunity with the launch of our new future platform, Liaison XS, creating an intriguing solution for mid-sized laboratories, both in Europe and the US, as well as China."
He also noted that the partnership confirms the company's commitment to being "a leader in immunodiagnostics, providing reliable solutions to laboratories around the world based on our extensive CLIA menu and the robustness of our Liaison family analyzers."
QFT-Plus is the fourth generation of Qiagen's QuantiFeron-TB test. QFT-Plus received US Food and Drug Administration approval in June 2017 after a 2016 CE-marked launch in more than 75 countries across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Qiagen said that an estimated 40 million QuantiFeron-TB tests have been conducted for patients around the world since its initial launch.