Thermo Fisher Scientific announces licensing agreement for B•R•A•H•M•S PCT

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. has announced the sixth licensing agreement for its B·R·A·H·M·S PCT (procalcitonin) biomarker that provides information on the presence and severity of bacterial infections. B·R·A·H·M·S PCT aids physicians in emergency departments (ED), intensive care units (ICU), and other hospital specialties in deciding whether to initiate antibiotic therapy in patients with suspected or confirmed lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) and when to safely discontinue antibiotics in patients with LRTI and sepsis. Siemens Healthineers joins a leading group of healthcare technology partners that includes Abbott, bioMérieux, DiaSorin, Fujirebio, and Roche, all of whom are dedicated to continued innovation to aid in early sepsis detection and reducing inappropriate antibiotic use in hospital patients.

Siemens Healthineers Atellica IM B·R·A·H·M·S PCT assay received FDA clearance on July 16, 2018. In clinical studies, B·R·A·H·M·S PCT has been shown to reduce the antibiotic prescription rate and duration in patients with LRTIs such as community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), acute bronchitis, and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD). Evaluating the decline in B·R·A·H·M·S PCT levels over time aids clinicians in determining whether to discontinue antibiotic therapy for patients with LRTI or sepsis. The Atellica IM B·R·A·H·M·S PCT assay can also aid in decision making on antibiotic discontinuation for patients with suspected or confirmed sepsis, assessing the risk of critically ill patients who progress from severe sepsis to septic shock, and help determine the 28-day all-cause mortality risk in sepsis patients.