Bosch and R-Biopharm Announce Partnership to Develop Innovative PCR Tests for Multiresistant Bacteria
Thursday 18 April, 2024 – Bosch and R-Biopharm have announced a new partnership to develop PCR tests for multiresistant gram-negative (MRGN) bacteria using Bosch’s innovative BioMEMS technology. The two companies will be jointly investing 150 million euros in the development and marketing of these tests.
The medical technology market is constantly evolving and growing, making it a strategic growth field for Bosch. To expand its presence in this market, Bosch plans to invest in its subsidiary, Bosch Healthcare Solutions, based in Waiblingen. Through its new partnership with R-Biopharm, a German diagnostics solutions company, Bosch aims to strengthen its position in the market.
“We are excited to expand into the medical technology field, which we have identified as a strategic growth area. Our extensive expertise in microchip research and development, molecular diagnostics, and miniaturization, along with our manufacturing know-how, make this partnership a great opportunity for us,” says Stefan Hartung, Chairman of the Bosch Board of Management. He also adds, “Partnerships are a great way to shorten product cycles and gain access to distribution channels in this dynamic and innovative market.”
The partnership aims to develop new in vitro diagnostic tests for Bosch’s Vivalytic molecular diagnostic analysis platform. This includes the development of a PCR test for multiresistant bacteria using Bosch’s BioMEMS technology. The companies are also looking to strengthen their marketing operations.
Dr. Frank Apostel, Chief Operating Officer Clinical Diagnostics and Nutrition Care at R-Biopharm, states, “This partnership with Bosch Healthcare Solutions is a significant step in implementing R-Biopharm’s growth strategy in the clinical diagnostics field. Together, we aim to offer excellent products and solutions that will play a major role in combating diseases and developing medicines.”
One of the key development goals of the ten-year partnership is a test for multiresistant gram-negative (MRGN) bacteria using Bosch’s BioMEMS technology. This will help address the increasing challenge of diseases caused by multiresistant bacteria, which are responsible for 4.95 million deaths worldwide in 2019. Additionally, each year, Europe sees 670,000 infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making it a significant health and financial burden.
Bosch’s universal, fully automated Vivalytic Analyser is as small as a desktop computer tower and allows for quick and easy adaptation and implementation of tests by various manufacturers. The test cartridges come with all necessary reagents, making it a compact and efficient solution. Marc Meier, President of Bosch Healthcare Solutions, says, “We’ve essentially shrunk a laboratory down to the size of a smartphone. BioMEMS technology allows our Vivalytic platform to be even faster and more efficient, with the high-performance silicon chip enabling simultaneous testing of up to 250 genetic characteristics in a single test cartridge, in some cases in less than 15 minutes.” He also adds that this marks Bosch’s first entry into nanofluidics, a technology that processes small quantities of liquids in the nanoliter range. This further miniaturization makes the Vivalytic platform even more convenient, enabling fast and targeted diagnostics directly at the point of sample collection.
The two companies also plan to develop further PCR tests, including ones to detect tuberculosis and determine any drug resistance. Just a few days ago, Bosch announced its first partnership with the Northern Irish medical technology company Randox Laboratories Ltd. By the end of the decade, Bosch and its two partners will have invested approximately 300 million euros in the development of the Vivalytic analysis platform.
For more information, please contact:
Bosch:
Dörthe Warnk
Phone: +49 711 811-55508
E-mail: doerthe.warnk@bosch.com
R-Biopharm:
Yvonne Kress
Phone: +49 6151 8102-4319
E-mail: Y.Kress@r-biopharm.de
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