SPARKS, Md., April 27, 2013 /CNW/ - BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), announced today an international distributor agreement with Bruker Daltonics Inc. to sell and provide front-line technical support for the co-labeled BD Bruker MALDI Biotyper System.

Microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing is the end-point of the majority of work a microbiology lab performs on a daily basis and is very time consuming. The BD Bruker MALDI Biotyper System combined with automated antimicrobial susceptibility testing on the BD Phoenix Microbiology System and the BD EpiCenter Microbiology Data Management System, will facilitate a fully integrated, optimized approach for laboratory workflow.

"BD believes mass spectrometry technologies are the future of microbial identification," said Jamie Condie , Vice President and General Manager, BD Diagnostics Diagnostic Systems, Infectious Disease. "Combining Bruker's expertise in this area with our advanced lab automation experience, the BD Bruker MALDI Biotyper System will enhance our customers' clinical decision making and laboratory workflow."

Antimicrobial susceptibility testing is conducted via traditional automated systems such as the BD Phoenix System. The combination of these two proven technologies, the BD Phoenix System and the Bruker MALDI Biotyper, and data management through the BD EpiCenter System, will provide laboratorians with a new approach to identification and susceptibility testing, which is expected to reduce the turnaround time for critical diagnostic results, while also improving laboratory efficiency and costs. Identification of pathogens will occur in minutes versus hours directly impacting patient management.

The Bruker MALDI Biotyper is currently not available in the United States for in vitro diagnostic use.

This announcement is an update to the joint collaboration, co-marketing, and co-selling agreement with Bruker Daltonics Inc. in 2010.

About the BD Bruker MALDI Biotyper SystemThe dedicated MALDI Biotyper solution enables molecular identification, and taxonomical classification or dereplication of microorganisms like bacteria, yeasts and fungi. Classification and identification of microorganisms is achieved reliably and quickly using proteomic fingerprinting by high-throughput MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Applications include clinical routine microbial identification, environmental and pharmaceutical analysis, taxonomical research, food and consumer product safety and quality control, as well as marine microbiology. The robust MALDI Biotyper method requires minimal sample preparation and offers low consumables cost. The MALDI Biotyper is available in a research-use-only version, or in an IVD-CE version according to EU directive EC/98/79 in various European countries. In the United States of America the MALDI Biotyper is available for research use only, and not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About BDBD is a leading global medical technology company that develops, manufactures and sells medical devices, instrument systems and reagents. The Company is dedicated to improving people's health throughout the world. BD is focused on improving drug delivery, enhancing the quality and speed of diagnosing infectious diseases and cancers, and advancing research, discovery and production of new drugs and vaccines. BD's capabilities are instrumental in combating many of the world's most pressing diseases. Founded in 1897 and headquartered in Franklin Lakes , New Jersey, BD employs nearly 30,000 associates in more than 50 countries throughout the world. The Company serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry and the general public. For more information, please visit http://www.bd.com.

Contact: Jamie Yacco Public Relations +1 (201) 847-4796 Email: Jamie_Yacco@bd.com

SOURCE: BD-Becton Dickinson

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BD Diagnostics Advances Commitment to a Fully Integrated Microbiology Solution with New Agreement