BioSense Technologies' Z-Sense Differential Impedance Sensing diagnostic system rapidly identifies drug susceptibility

Mar 19 2010

BioSense Technologies, a pioneer in the development of diagnostic systems for rapid drug susceptibility testing, announced today that it presented key scientific findings at the National Foundation for Infection Disease 2010 Annual Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance, held in Bethesda, MD in early February. The Company presented compelling scientific data in a poster presentation (www.biosensetech.com/publications.htm) demonstrating that its Z-Sense™ Differential Impedance Sensing diagnostic system rapidly and accurately identified the drug susceptibility of bacteria, yeast, and cancer cells exposed to therapeutic agents in near real-time. The growing resistance of bacteria to antibiotics combined with the shortage of available new drugs threatens the ability to cure infections that were previously treatable.

“Our technology has the potential to dramatically improve the treatment of life threatening diseases such as cancer and antibiotic resistant bacterial infections”

The Company’s findings were also accepted and published in the November 2009 issue of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. This journal article reported that the Z-Sense™ system distinguished susceptible from resistant strains of slow-growing tuberculosis bacteria exposed to anti-tuberculosis drugs in less than one hour.

BioSense’s Z-Sense™ Differential Impendence Sensing system is a revolutionary new approach to rapid drug susceptibility testing that monitors the physiological stress developed in cells during exposure to pharmaceutical compounds to determine the effect of a drug on the cells. The Company has found that monitoring the dielectric permittivity of the test sample, an easily measured electronic property, is a practical and accurate way to monitor the development of stress. The cellular stress response occurs within minutes enabling test results to be obtained immediately. Until now, drug susceptibility testing required days or longer times because these tests are based on cellular proliferation. Because test results are currently not readily available, physicians often prescribe costly drugs based on empirical evidence leading to inappropriate treatments and poor patient outcomes. Inadequate or delayed detection of drug resistance is a major contributor to the prevalence of drug resistant strains of bacteria. In cancer therapy, it can result in the prescription of ineffective drugs while exposing patients to unnecessary toxic side effects.

“Our technology has the potential to dramatically improve the treatment of life threatening diseases such as cancer and antibiotic resistant bacterial infections” stated Dr. Ron Rieder, President and Founder of BioSense Technologies. “Our first generation Z-Sense diagnostic devices and test cartridges have obtained drug susceptibility data that are now being validated by independent institutions. The technology has proven itself to be robust and results have been reproducible. We have reduced our patented inventions to practice by developing a practical, easy to use and cost-effective diagnostic testing system. This year we plan to make further improvements to the Z-Sense Differential Impedance Sensing system so that we can move the product into clinical studies.”