Astek Diagnostics Expands R&D Roadmap Through a Strategic Partnership with MRR Children’s Hospital
April 16, 2024
Astek Diagnostics ("Astek") has announced a strategic partnership with the MRR Children’s Hospital ("MRRCH") in Thane (West), Mumbai, India. MRRCH is a super specialty pediatric hospital renowned for its research initiatives and commitment to leveraging advanced technology for safe, rapid, and high-quality pediatric care. The partnership aims to address a significant challenge faced by MRRCH related to the treatment of acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) in the neonatal, pediatric, and adult intensive care units (NICU, PICU, and ICU) in India.
As part of the partnership, JidduTM Analyzer will be deployed at MRRCH and its affiliated facilities. The analyzer will be used to detect early signs of ABM in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples. The collaboration includes an accelerated pilot study starting in June 2024, focused on testing and validating the Jiddu Analyzer as applied to CSF samples. Samples will be collected based on double-blinded clinical study protocols, and the results of Astek’s CSF sample tests will be compared to culture and sensitivity (C&S) testing conducted at MRRCH’s CLIA laboratories. This partnership marks Astek’s first deployment outside of the United States.
The collaboration between Astek and MRRCH aims to significantly improve diagnostic speed and accuracy when testing CSF samples, thereby reducing patient complications and pain during ABM treatment and lowering healthcare costs. This effort complements Astek’s previous R&D work, focused on urine testing, and generating proof-of-concept testing data related to effluent (with a focus on surgical site infections) and blood (with a focus on Bacteremia).
The partnership with MRRCH follows Astek's recent announcement of a pilot study and strategic partnership with MedStar Health, a $7.3 billion not-for-profit healthcare system, as well as a pilot study with the University of Maryland School of Medicine which focused on urine testing.
Dr. Kiran More, MD, FRACP, AFRACMA, Division Chief of Neonatology at MRRCH, and Dr. Uday Andar, MBBS, M.Ch., Neurosurgery, Director of Neurosciences and Clinical Services at MRRCH, have championed Astek’s work within the MRRCH and will lead the collaboration between the two organizations. “We are excited to apply Astek's technological innovation to ABM, and believe that it will save critical time in diagnosing and treating patients with such acute infections,” commented Dr. More.
Dr. Al-Adhami, CEO at Astek, commented, "Our partnership with MRRCH marks a pivotal milestone as we focus on refining our CSF sample handling protocol and adopting our technology to a new sample type as part of our broader development roadmap. Moreover, we are very excited about raising awareness of our technology internationally and collaborating with such a strong partner."
About Astek Diagnostics:
Astek is a precision diagnostics company developing the JidduTM Analyzer to confirm bacterial infections and assess antibiotic sensitivity across multiple sample types: urine, CSF, effluent, and blood. Astek has prioritized going to market in 2025 with a urine-based test which identifies urinary tract infections and antibiotic sensitivity in one hour. The company is part of the Y Combinator (S21) and has received support from Harvard University, NSF, FDA, BARDA, NIH and numerous VC funds and angel investors.
About MRR Children’s Hospital:
MRRCH, a unit of Raptakos, Brett & Co. Ltd., provides super specialty pediatric care and clinical services. Between 2016 and 2023, the MRRCH leadership has worked with several of the top institutions worldwide to bring state-of-the-art healthcare technologies to the facility. MRRCH combines the best aspects of academic medicine, research, innovation, and personalized and specialized healthcare. The hospital is equipped with 6 state-of-the-art operating theaters with technologically advanced cameras, hybrid and modular operating rooms, Digital OP Microscope and AI-driven assessment tools. MRRCH clinical specialties include Neurosurgery & Neurology, Gastroenterology, Hepatology, clinical Hematology & Oncology, clinical Genetics, Dental sciences, Cranio-Maxillo Facial surgery, Endocrinology, Pediatric Medicine, Intensive care (SICU, NICU, and PICU), Laparoscopic surgery, Orthopedics & Spine surgery, Plastic surgery, Urology, Rheumatology, Nephrology, Cardiology& Cardiac surgery and Respiratory medicine.
