Australian developed advanced pathology instrument reading and interpreting plates for faster diagnosis
of infectious diseases
Centre of excellence laboratory to test automation efficiency in a busy real-life setting
Adelaide, Australia, 27 September 2017: Australian medical technology company LBT Innovations Limited (ASX: LBT) and joint venture company Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS) have installed their APAS® Independence instrument at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne to commence its first global in situ evaluation.
APAS® is a breakthrough artificial intelligence technology for the automated imaging, image analysis, interpretation and reporting of growth on microbiology plates after incubation. The APAS® Independence, which is about the size of a large photocopier, improves the clinical efficiency of microbiology laboratories and enables faster diagnosis and reporting of infectious diseases. The US FDA-cleared instrument is based on LBT’s Australian- developed intelligent imaging and
machine learning software. Placement of the instrument at a centre of excellence such as St Vincent’s Hospital will enable the evaluation of the
instrument’s performance and provide valuable feedback in a diagnostic pathology laboratory. Training pathology scientists at the hospital on the APAS® Independence instrument commenced this week.
Across the globe, microbiologists and scientists currently individually review AGAR plates, of which up to 95% return negative results. The APAS® Independence rapidly and automatically reviews and sorts plates into neat stacks of positives, negatives and plates to be reviewed; at a rate of 200 plates per hour.
Feedback on this St Vincent’s operation is expected during Q4 this calendar year. The APAS® Independence will undergo further commercial evaluations over the next 18 months in additional microbiology centres of excellence globally to establish a network of reference laboratories. Successful deployment at the reference laboratories is a precursor to larger scale commercial roll out of the APAS® Independence.
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About LBT Innovations
LBT Innovations (LBT) improves patient outcomes by making healthcare more efficient. Based in Adelaide, South Australia, the
Company has two world class-leading products in microbiology automation: MicroStreak®, which provides automated culture plate
streaking and Automated Plate Assessment System (APAS®). Based on LBT’s intelligent imaging and interpretative software, US FDAcleared
APAS® automates imaging, analysis and interpretation of culture plates following incubation. LBT has entered into a joint
venture Clever Culture Systems AG (CCS) with Hettich Holding Beteiligungs- und Verwaltungs-GmbH to commercialise APAS®
products. LBT’s third product WoundVue® is in early development; this is a proposed automated solution to assist in the management
of chronic wounds.
CONTACTS
LBT Innovations Media Relations
Brent Barnes
Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director
Tel: +61 (0)8 8227 1555
E: info@lbtinnovations.com
Sarah Kemter
Monsoon Communications
Tel: +61 (0)3 9620 3333
M: +61 (0) 407 162 530
E: sarahk@monsoon.c
