Microba Life Sciences Limited (ASX: MAP) (“Microba”) is pleased to announce that the MetaPanel product is officially launching to healthcare professionals today, Wednesday 13 March 2024. This launch delivers on the agreement signed with Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL) through a wholly owned subsidiary Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology Pty Ltd, to distribute Microba’s advanced gastrointestinal pathogen test MetaPanel™ in Australia. This agreement was announced to the ASX on 5 July 2023 and a further MetaPanel update was provided in the Q2 FY24 Quarterly Report released to the ASX on 30 January 2024.
Highlights
➢MetaPanel is a world-first NATA-accredited metagenomic diagnostic test for diagnosing common and difficult-to-identify gastrointestinal pathogens that cause infection, covering 175 pathogen targets in a single test
➢The product has been developed over 5 years by Microba using the Company’s advanced metagenomic technology together with Infectious Disease experts and Sonic Healthcare’s molecular biology & microbiology team
➢Nationwide launch activities have commenced today:
- Premier launch event being hosted tonight for clinicians in Sydney with key opinion gastroenterologist Prof. Nick Talley as keynote speaker
- Further national launch events are scheduled to occur across the next 6 weeks covering each major city.
Commentary
Microba’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Luke Reid said, “The launch of this world-first accredited metagenomic diagnostic test with Sonic Healthcare, one of the largest and most trusted medical diagnostic companies, is a significant milestone for the company. From the foundations of Microba’s metagenomic technology, the Company has been investing in diagnostic product development at the forefront of the medical application of microbial genomics and microbiome analysis information for many years. The launch of MetaPanel, taken together with the launch of MetaXplore last year, has now solidified the Company’s strategic advancement into a medical diagnostics company. Australia, through the Sonic Healthcare network, is the first region to distribute Microba’s technology, with plans to deliver our testing products into additional markets across the globe. With this significant advancement in the standard of care, I am excited by the impact we can deliver to patients over the years ahead”.