New Antipsychotic Drug Testing for Serious Mental Conditions

A HOLD FreeRelease 5 | eTurboNews | eTN
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Written by Linda Hohnholz

Global distribution agreement with Saladax Biomedical brings antipsychotic therapeutic drug monitoring assays to Beckman Coulter customers.           

Beckman Coulter, a global clinical diagnostics leader, announces it will introduce new antipsychotic drug tests to laboratories and clinicians to address an unmet clinical need for 69 million people with serious mental conditions worldwide.

In a new agreement with Saladax Biomedical, Inc., Beckman Coulter will distribute the tests designed to measure blood levels of antipsychotic drugs prescribed to treat patients with serious mental illness (SMI), such as Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder. These new assays are developed using an innovative nanoparticle technology and empower health care professionals with data to monitor psychiatric drugs prescribed in treatment of psychosis: Clozapine, Risperidone/Paliperidone, Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Aripiprazole.

The rapid, high-quality assays run on Beckman Coulter’s scalable AU clinical chemistry analyzers and shorten turnaround time for patient test results to hours instead of days – leading to greater success managing and monitoring treatments for inpatients and outpatients.

Serious mental illness is a significant public health concern. Worldwide 45 million1 people are affected by bipolar disorder and 24 million2 people are living with schizophrenia. Patients with untreated schizophrenia or bipolar may experience increased intensity of symptoms which could be disabling, potentially resulting in additional medical care or could lead to suicide. These new assays assist healthcare professionals evaluate patient treatment adherence and individual patient drug response. 

Kathleen Orland, senior vice president & general manager, clinical chemistry and immunoassay, Beckman Coulter, says: “Beckman Coulter’s portfolio of therapeutic drug monitoring assays offers laboratories and diagnostic testing facilities ways to improve patient care by ensuring therapeutic ranges are monitored. Our relationship with Saladax expands access for laboratories and clinicians to antipsychotic drug testing for treatment of psychotic disorders, which is a growing healthcare need.”

Sal Salamone, CEO and Founder, Saladax, says: “Our partnership with Beckman Coulter is a major step in making these important antipsychotic tests available to health care professionals. These tests provide timely quantitative insights so they can make reliable assessments that will improve the care of patients with serious mental illness.”

Assays are being introduced across Europe and the United States, with plans to expand to Beckman Coulter customers globally. Please contact your Beckman Coulter sales representative or distributor for information about this product and availability in your region.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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