Funds will accelerate commercial expansion in North America and global markets

SYDNEY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#PlexPCR--SpeeDx Pty. Ltd., the developer of transformative new molecular diagnostic solutions, today announced it had raised up to US $10 million in additional equity investment from US-based Northpond Ventures. This follows an original investment of US $5 million from Northpond Ventures in April 2019.

SpeeDx CEO Colin Denver said, “The funds raised will help expedite our international expansion and leverage strategic relationships with global partners. We are working with key researchers and organizations around the globe with a shared goal of providing clinicians with the information and guidance they need to address the urgent issues related to antibiotic resistance and better management of infectious diseases.”

“SpeeDx has developed significant strategic partnerships and their recent successes demonstrate true global potential,” said Michael Rubin M.D., Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Northpond Ventures. “They are positioned to become a world leader with technology that will benefit millions of patients globally.”

SpeeDx recently announced a partnership with GlaxoSmithKline to support antibiotic development work and a partnership with Cepheid on the FleXible cartridge program, allowing a SpeeDx test (ResistancePlus® MG) to run on the GeneXpert platform. ResistancePlus MG supports Resistance Guided Therapy for the sexually transmitted infection Mycoplasma genitalium (Mgen), an approach recommended in management guidelines in response to rising rates of macrolide resistance observed with traditional Mgen treatment. With a global installed base over 22,000 GeneXpert Systems, this partnership with Cepheid could see Resistance Guided Therapy applied in multiple settings where actionable treatment information is needed quickly.

SpeeDx is now looking to accelerate growth, with commercial scale-up to support further penetration into global markets. Clinical studies in the U.S. are nearing completion for ResistancePlus MG with submission to FDA likely before the end of 2019. ResistancePlus® GC, for the detection of gonorrhea and susceptibility to ciprofloxacin treatment, has also been granted Breakthrough Device designation by the FDA and has begun the process for clearance in the U.S. Results from this test can be used to guide treatment decisions for gonorrhea infections, giving doctors and patients the option of using ciprofloxacin instead of ceftriaxone, one of the last remaining antibiotics available for multi-drug resistant infections.

About SpeeDx

SpeeDx has developed a molecular diagnostics test portfolio, principally for infectious diseases, that provides both identification as well as therapeutic guidance capabilities. The company is based in Australia with offices in Austin and London, and distributors across Europe. SpeeDx specializes in molecular diagnostic solutions that go beyond simple detection to offer comprehensive information for improved patient management. Innovative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology has driven market-leading multiplex detection and priming strategies. Product portfolios focus on multiplex diagnostics for sexually transmitted infection (STI), antibiotic resistance markers, and respiratory disease. For more information about SpeeDx please see: https://plexpcr.com

Contacts

Europe, Australia, New Zealand Madeline O’Donoghue madelineo@speedx.com.au +61 2 9209 4170 United States Rick Roose roi.roose@gmail.com +1.415.202.4445