Thermo Fisher Scientific and Q-linea announced the launch of the ASTar System – a rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (rAST) system that provides true minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) results in ˜ 6 hours. Conventional AST methods can take up to 72 hours to yield a result. The fully automated, easy-to-use ASTar System utilizes advanced imaging techniques and algorithms to monitor bacterial growth, removing the need for subculture, which alone can take an additional one to two days.

The system is based on the ISO 20776-1 AST frozen broth microdilution methods, and as such it produces the all-important MIC results physicians can use to deliver more personalized antibiotic treatment to the critically ill. The reduction in time-to-result may be a factor in reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) as clinicians often prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics while awaiting laboratory guidance on more targeted therapy. This practice is believed to contribute to the emerging pandemic of AMR1, which threatens to claim 10 million lives a year by 20502.

Reducing AMR could be expected to reduce mortality rates by around 40%3, and could also support a decrease in healthcare costs by reducing hospital stay and delivering per-patient cost savings of between $2,500 and $20,0004.