MedGenome Launches MetaSeq to Identify 1,400+ Pathogens in One Test

MedGenome has announced the introduction of MetaSeq, which is an innovative blood test that will speed up and improve bloodstream infection (BSI) detection. It is a high-level diagnostic instrument employing the metagenomic next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique to study the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of microorganisms in the blood.

The MetaSeq test has the ability to detect more than 1,400 clinically significant pathogens within a single analysis, which includes bacteria, fungi, parasites, and DNA viruses, and it serves as a broad-range alternative to the traditional blood culture tests.

The traditional method of diagnosing the BSIs, blood culture tests, can take several days, and they may lead to negative outcomes, particularly when patients have been previously on antibiotics. MetaSeq, however, is a microbial DNA direct detection used in blood samples and thus, infections can be detected even where conventional methods fail.

Having a result turnaround time of mere five days, the test has demonstrated high sensitivity as compared to standard blood cultures, giving clinicians the confidence to make faster and more informed treatment decisions, especially in the case of critically ill and immunocompromised patients.

MetaSeq was validated on peripheral blood; it is agile to other clinical samples, including cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, and ascitic fluid, which increases its diagnostic potential.

Vedam Ramprasad, PhD, CEO of MedGenome Labs, emphasized the test's potential to transform clinical decision-making, stating, “MetaSeq is set to transform the clinical decision-making process by offering more precise diagnostic visibility earlier in the medical care pathway, empowering clinicians with reliable and timely information.”

MetaSeq has been developed with Noscendo, the German-based leader in pathogen diagnostics, which uses the DISQVER platform of Noscendo to identify pathogenic bacteria accurately, establishing a platform on which to build quicker and more accurate diagnostics of infection in South Asia.