A global leader in in vitro diagnostics for more than 55 years, bioMérieux has always been driven by a pioneering spirit and unrelenting commitment to improve public health worldwide. The company is present in 44 countries, employs 12,000 people at the end of December 2019, and serves over 160 countries with the support of a large network of distributors. bioMérieux is a world leader in clinical microbiology, a leader in industrial microbiological control for the agri-food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, and a leader in the syndromic molecular diagnosis of infectious diseases. In 2019, revenues reached €2.7 billion, with more than 90% of international sales. bioMérieux develops and produces high medical value in vitro diagnostic solutions (systems, reagents, software and services) for private and hospital laboratories, mainly for the diagnosis of infectious diseases. The results obtained from a patient sample (blood, urine, stool, cerebrospinal fluid, saliva, etc.) provide doctors with information to support their decisions. For 25 years, bioMérieux has also applied the expertise acquired in the clinical sector to meeting industrial microbiology needs, making it possible to manage contamination risks in agri-food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products at each step of the production chain. bioMérieux also forges partnerships across the globe to drive advances in diagnostics. By working with biotech firms, researchers, biologists and physicians, bioMérieux remains at the cutting edge of the latest medical, scientific and technological developments.
bioMérieux has been working with healthcare experts for many years to better understand and create high medical value tests, ensure better clinical decisions and patient management. Working in close proximity to physicians and healthcare professionals allows a clear vision and a sound understanding of their expectations and needs, which are constantly changing.
In DIAMONDS, bioMérieux will lead the “Product development” Work Package, which aims to develop test platforms (e.g. FILMARRAY®, CMOS-based point-of-care devices) for rapid detection of Personalised Molecular Signature Diagnosis (PMSD) transcripts, and to compare these devices to existing RNA-detection technologies (e.g. Nanostring nCounter and NGS). bioMérieux has pioneered molecular detection of pathogens by FILMARRAY®, an FDA-cleared multiplex PCR system that integrates sample preparation, amplification, detection and analysis. In DIAMONDS, bioMérieux will undertake the development of the FILMARRAY® system to detect the host response associated transcripts in the gene set identified for PMSD. The platform(s) will provide information about the host response (RNA expression) using dedicated combinations of host genes in order to: (i) identify viral versus bacterial infection in febrile children and, (ii) identify pathogen infections through PMSD, and at last may transform the management of suspected infectious or inflammatory disorders.
Within the R&D Unit, one of the major goals of the former Medical Diagnostic Discovery Department, now Open Innovation and Partnerships Department since Sept. 2019, is to identify and validate host and pathogen biomarkers that will lead to the development of high medical value and profitable diagnostic tests. The scientists involved in DIAMONDS all have significant technical experience and expertise in the field of the project as well in the management of large EU projects and supervision of research fellows and staff. Dr François Mallet is the Principal Investigator and a Senior Expert within the bioMérieux-Hospices Civils de Lyon Joint Research Unit. Dr. Karen Brengel-Pesce, Co-PI, is the Director of the Joint Research Unit and Dr. Alexandre Pachot, the Head of the Open Innovation & Partnerships Department.
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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No. 848196