Sekisui Diagnostics and Mesa Biotech Inc. have announced a strategic alliance, to distribute the Mesa Biotech POC molecular system for Flu A/Flu B. Sekisui Diagnostics will assume exclusive distribution of the Mesa Biotech POC system in the U.S. and Canada, pending FDA clearance.

The Mesa Biotech molecular dock and test cassette system provides physicians with rapid infectious disease diagnosis at the point of care with increased sensitivity and specificity over most rapid tests currently on the market by using nucleic acid PCR amplification technology. The first test cassette will test for Flu A/Flu B with additional tests to be added over time.

"Sekisui Diagnostics is pleased to announce our new relationship with Mesa Biotech which will complement our existing rapid test portfolio," said Robert Schruender, President and COO of Sekisui Diagnostics. “This system is highly compatible with our business channels and relationships with distributors. It also offers the potential to strengthen our flu portfolio in the mid-to-long term by offering physicians the simplicity, convenience and procedural familiarity of traditional POC rapid immunoassays, while providing the superior sensitivity, specificity and information content of laboratory-based PCR testing.”

“We are extremely excited to partner with Sekisui Diagnostics for the commercialization of Mesa Biotech’s point of care PCR platform in North America,” said Dr. Hong Cai, co-founder and CEO of Mesa Biotech. “Our PCR platform solution and pipeline coupled with Sekisui’s Diagnostics commercial and supply chain expertise as well as their unparalleled field sales relationships brings tremendous synergy opportunities for both organizations.”