CAMBRIDGE, MA and RAMAT GAN, ISRAEL / ACCESSWIRE / January 7, 2025 / Next Gen Diagnostics (NGD), a world leader in the development of validated machine learning models for whole genome sequence- (WGS-) based detection of transmission and for the determination of bacterial susceptibility to antibiotics, and Sheba Medical Center, the largest medical complex in Israel and the Middle East, announce an agreement providing for the sequencing and analysis of a unique collection of highly antibiotic resistant bacterial strains, both for infection control and to better understand their complex mechanisms of resistance.
"NGD is committed to bringing its systems for the WGS-based detection of transmission of infection and prediction of drug resistance to Israel. Recent work (1) has shown that WGS-based detection of transmission can stop outbreaks, with benefits to patient welfare as well as financial savings to hospitals and insurers by reducing the extended stays caused by transmission of drug resistant infection," noted Dr. Paul A. Rhodes, NGD Founder and CEO. "Israel's and Sheba's world class and uniquely integrated medical information systems are well-suited to evaluate the benefits of using of WGS to detect transmission, providing guidance to infection prevention teams charged with stopping outbreaks."
NGD has built and validated automated bioinformatic systems both for WGS-based detection of transmission (2) as well as WSG-based machine learning models to determine antibiotic susceptibility in Gram-negative bacteria that have been shown (3) to be more accurate than in vitro tests.
"Sheba is committed to deploying the most advanced systems available, both for infection control and the guidance of treatment of the most complex and challenging strains," noted Dr. Sharon Amit, Medical Director of Clinical Microbiology Laboratory at Sheba, the largest such testing facility in the Middle East, who will lead the project for Sheba. "We know that utilization of the unsurpassable depth of information available in WGS is increasingly the future of microbiology diagnostics and infection control, and we look forward to this timely and compelling opportunity to work with NGD on this project, the first of its kind in Israel."
(1) Sundermann et al, medRxiv 2024. https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.09.19.24313985
(2) Brown et al, J Clin Microbiology 2019. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31462548/
(3) Humphries et al, J Clin Microbiology 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36840604/
About Next Gen Diagnostics
NGD, founded by Dr. Paul A. Rhodes in 2017 along with Sanger Institute group leaders in Cambridge, UK, has built and validated world-leading automation of pathogen bioinformatics, while the unique NGD100 microfluidic sample preparation instrument enables NGD to offer the lowest cost integrated sequencing and bioinformatics services available. NGD combines these capabilities to enable the WGS-based detection of transmission in health care settings, and is working with collaborators in the US, Europe and Israel to be among the first to bring WGS-based determination of antibiotic resistance to patient care. NGD is based in the US, with subsidiaries in Cambridge, UK and in Israel.
About Sheba Medical Center
The largest and most comprehensive medical center in the Middle East, Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer is generating global impact through its medical care, research and healthcare transformation. Sheba's City of Health boasts acute-care, rehabilitation, children's, cancer and geriatric hospitals, research and innovation hubs, medical simulation center and center for disaster response on one comprehensive campus in the heart of Israel. Sheba serves as a true hospital without borders, welcoming users and healthcare professionals from all over the world and consistently providing the highest-level medical care to all in need. Sheba has been ranked a World's Best Hospital by Newsweek six years in a row (2019 - 2024). For more information, visit: https://sheba-global.com/
For press inquiries related to NGD, please contact: press@nextgen-dx.com
For press inquiries related to Sheba, please contact: Steve.Walz@sheba.health.gov.il
Contact Information:
Next Gen Diagnostics
press@nextgen-dx.com
SOURCE: Next Gen Diagnostics
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