November 27, 2012, Seoul — Veredus Institute, a subsidiary of STMicroelectronics (ST), a global semiconductor company providing a wide range of electronic applications and a leading provider of innovative molecular diagnostic tools, has launched the multi-molecular diagnostic chip 'VereMTB™'. This chip can rapidly and accurately diagnose Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTBC)[1] and its variants, as well as nine clinically relevant non-tuberculous mycobacteria. These variants are resistant to drugs and are fueling the global spread of tuberculosis.

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is a major headache for the global medical community. For effective tuberculosis treatment, rapid and accurate diagnosis, along with taking the correct medication, is crucial. The downside of this treatment method is that tuberculosis infections can mutate to become resistant to drugs, making treatment very difficult and costly. Existing methods for accurately identifying tuberculosis infections took up to eight weeks. However, VereMTB does not require the culture step that takes the longest time, allowing it to diagnose from natural samples [2] within three hours and identify specific acid-fast bacilli that cause infection and resistance. Additionally, because the chip is small, the system can be deployed appropriately for the required time and environment.

Dr. Rosemary Tan, CEO of Veredus Institute, stated, “In 2011, 8.7 million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis, and 1.4 million died. According to the World Health Organization, tuberculosis is the second leading cause of death from a single infectious disease worldwide. For such a highly contagious disease, rapid diagnosis and the use of appropriate treatments are crucial. Veredus Institute is confident that VereMTB can meet this need by rapidly diagnosing tuberculosis and multidrug resistance, and furthermore, help provide appropriate treatment.”

The VereMTB multimolecular diagnostic lab-on-chip was designed and tested through the TM-REST program[3] as part of the 7th EU Framework for the Development of New Diagnostics to Combat Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Benedetto Vigna, General Manager of ST’s Analog, MEMS, and Sensors business unit and Group Senior Vice President, stated, “We are at the forefront of developing silicon technology for healthcare applications. ST’s sensor and power technologies have driven numerous innovations in the healthcare sector, ranging from personal and portable to ultra-small and minimally invasive medical devices. VereMTB, utilizing ST’s lab-on-chip technology, is a prime example of ST’s ability to leverage its technology portfolio to provide strategic solutions for global healthcare challenges.”

The VereMTB chip is based on ST's industry-recognized lab-on-chip technology and is currently being evaluated by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing as part of a new technology evaluation program for tuberculosis diagnosis. According to a 2012 WHO report on tuberculosis, India and China combined account for 40% of the world's tuberculosis infections, and in 2011, nearly 60% of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients were located in India, China, and the Russian Federation.

Professor Zhao Yanlin, Director of the National Tuberculosis Standard Research Institute of China and Deputy Director of the National Tuberculosis Control and Prevention Center under the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated, “The National Tuberculosis Standard Research Institute of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Beijing has been evaluating VereMTB using samples collected from across China, focusing on whether it can identify multidrug-resistant variants that are difficult to distinguish by other methods.” “The speed, accuracy, and comprehensiveness of the experimental results are very satisfactory. We would like to continue collaborating with Veredus to create a new breakthrough in tuberculosis diagnosis,” he said.

VereMTB was demonstrated at the 43rd Union World Conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, held from November 13-17. Veredus Lab is a Singapore-based subsidiary of STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader in sensor technology, including biosensors such as lab-on-chip.