- Curetis R&D collaboration to develop NGS-based predictive antibiotic resistance testing powered by ARESdb
- Collaborator to fund R&D and obtains option to license ARESdb and ARES Technology Platform for human clinical diagnostic use
GAITHERSBURG, Md., Sept. 18, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OpGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: OPGN) reported an update on the business of Curetis GmbH, the other party to the planned business combination with OpGen. On September 16, 2019, Curetis, N.V. announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary Ares Genetics GmbH (“Ares Genetics”) has entered into a multi-phase collaboration with an undisclosed leading global in vitro diagnostics corporation to jointly develop diagnostic solutions for infectious disease testing based on next-generation sequencing (“NGS”) technology. The companies signed an R&D and option agreement for the first phase of the collaboration.
As Curetis announced, the collaboration follows the successful completion of a feasibility study in which Ares Genetics correctly identified 100% of the pathogen species and successfully predicted antibiotic resistance for over 50 drug/pathogen combinations in line with FDA requirements (<1.5% very major error, i.e. misclassification of resistant isolates as susceptible and <3 % major error, i.e. misclassification of susceptible isolates as resistant).
In a first phase of the collaboration expected to take about 12 months, the parties will further enrich ARESdb with a focus on certain pathogens relevant in a first, undisclosed infectious disease indication. Additional clinical isolates of such pathogens will be sequenced by Ares Genetics at its recently established NGS laboratory in Vienna, Austria. Based on this enlarged and enriched dataset, Ares Genetics will further optimize the algorithms for predictive antibiotic resistance testing for drug/pathogen combinations particularly relevant in the targeted indication to enable NGS-based infectious disease diagnostics.
Under the initial agreement signed between Ares Genetics and the collaboration partner on September 16, 2019, the collaboration partner will fully fund the Ares Genetics’ research and development activities for the genotypic and phenotypic characterization of additional bacterial strains to augment ARESdb and the development of optimized algorithms for predicting antibiotic resistance. Furthermore, in return for an undisclosed up-front option fee, the collaboration partner obtains a right of first negotiation for an exclusive human clinical diagnostic use license to ARESdb and the ARES Technology Platform.
OpGen and Curetis entered into a definitive agreement to combine businesses on September 4, 2019. The closing of the transaction under such definitive agreement has not yet occurred and is subject to a number of significant closing conditions, including receipt of approval from the stockholders of OpGen, Inc. and the shareholders of Curetis, N.V. Until the closing occurs, each of OpGen and Curetis are operating as stand-alone businesses.
To read the full press release from Curetis, please click here.
About OpGen
OpGen, Inc. is a precision medicine company harnessing the power of molecular diagnostics and informatics to help combat infectious disease. We are developing molecular information products and services for global healthcare settings, helping to guide clinicians with more rapid and actionable information about life threatening infections, improve patient outcomes, and decrease the spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms, or MDROs.
Our molecular diagnostics and informatics products, product candidates and services combine our Acuitas molecular diagnostics and Acuitas Lighthouse informatics platform for use with our proprietary, curated MDRO knowledgebase. We are working to deliver our products and services, some in development, to a global network of customers and partners. The Acuitas AMR Gene Panel (RUO) is intended for Research Use Only and is not for use in diagnostic procedures. The Acuitas Lighthouse Software is not distributed commercially for antibiotic resistance prediction and is not for use in diagnostic procedures. For more information, please visit www.opgen.com.
OpGen, Acuitas, and Acuitas Lighthouse are registered trademarks of OpGen, Inc.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release describes events related to Curetis N.V., a party to a business combination agreement with OpGen that has not yet closed. These statements constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and are intended to qualify for the safe harbor from liability established by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that are often difficult to predict, are beyond our control, and which may cause the future to differ materially from expectations. We cannot assure you that the proposed business combination transaction with Curetis N.V., which is subject to significant conditions to close, will occur. For a discussion of the most significant risks and uncertainties associated with OpGen's business, please review our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are based on our expectations as of the date of this press release and speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
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