Newswise — The CrAg Lateral Flow Assay (LFA) a novel, rapid diagnostic test, is playing a crucial role in saving lives all over the world. The CrAg LFA tests for an infection called Cryptococcosis, which kills over 600,000 people every year, primarily in HIV/AIDS patients. Because of the ease-of-use and room temperature storage, the CrAg LFA, developed by IMMY, is the only test capable of bridging the gap between this disease and the life-saving medicine these patients need.
IMMY (Norman, OK), a US-based diagnostic manufacturing company, has had a global focus on saving lives through innovative products for more than 35 years. “Our goal is to save lives,” said Dr. Sean Bauman, president and CEO of IMMY, “With the CrAg LFA, a health-care provider can give the test, observe the results, and administer the first dose of oral medication, all within a few minutes…resulting in a life that has truly been changed for the better.”
A recently published study in The Lancet, highlights the critical, live-saving implementation of cryptococcal antigen (CrAg) screening in HIV patients. The study, performed by Sayoki Mfinanga and other colleagues using the CrAg LFA, showed that out of 1,001 HIV patients screened for cryptococcal antigen, 280 lives were saved as a result. These patients would have died if it weren’t for the implementation of the screening program and the accuracy of the CrAg LFA.
The study concludes that “Immediate implementation of cryptococcal antigen screening should occur in ART programmes now…”
CrAg screening has recently been recommended for US implementation, as well. A study published in November 2014 showed that cryptococcal infection was high among advanced AIDS patients in the US.
Mfinanga study (The Lancet): http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60455-XUS CrAg screening study (PubMed): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25422390 To learn more about cryptococcal antigen screening: www.immy.com/saving-lives
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