Accelr8 Technology has extended its technology evaluation agreement for its BACcel rapid diagnostic system with a global diagnostics company.

Accelr8‘s BACcel system is a rapid analytical platform for infectious pathogens based on its surface coatings, assay processing, and detection technologies.

In addition, Accelr8 licenses certain of its proprietary technology for use in applications outside of the company’s own products.

The original agreement was reported on 17 June 2010 and the essential terms remain unchanged and continue the funding to Accelr8 during the extended project period and the amended agreement culminates no later than mid-2011.

The project includes analysis of ongoing pre-clinical and pilot studies at the Denver Health Medical Center, and at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St Louis and it also specifies certain technical milestones for product engineering and test kit development.

Accelr8 president David Howson said they are pleased that their industry relationship is being extended and the preliminary data from the ongoing prospective pilot study are consistent with those from remnant specimens.

"The BACcel system can reliably identify and count in less than 150 minutes multiple targeted high-threat live organisms extracted directly from patient specimens. We believe that our data show that we have the first technology demonstrated able to support same-day guidance for treating critically ill patients who acquire a serious infection," Howson said.

"The BACcel system has the breadth, speed, and accuracy needed to confront the global spread of multi-drug resistant ‘superbugs,’ as they are labeled by the news media."