The test, which searches for fragments of DNA 200 basepairs or longer that are characteristic of diseased mucosa, may eventually compete with diagnostics like Exact Sciences' Cologuard.
The firm said that the assay uses vaginal or rectal swabs to identify Group B Streptococcus DNA in about an hour. It has filed for 510(k) clearance with the US FDA.
Qiagen's partnership and merger agreement with NeuMoDx may help it compete with high-volume molecular testing vendors such as Abbott, Hologic, and Roche.
Testing with Cepheid's molecular TB assay can shorten the amount of time suspected patients need to be isolated and save thousands of dollars per patient.
Bruker plans to acquire an 80 percent stake in Hain, which has capabilities in tuberculosis and mycobacteria testing as well as virology and human genetics.
The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based firm will compete with a few well-established players offering systems that can run in vitro diagnostic tests as well as lab-developed tests.
