Swine flu may increase demands for POC flu tests
NEW YORK The current situation with a possible swine flu pandemic may increase demand for rapid point-of-care flu tests, tests that would ascertain whether or not a person was ill with a traditional flu as opposed to the swine flu, market research publisher Kalorama asserted Monday.
“Although there is no marketed POC test specifically for the A/H1N1 [swine] strain at this point, it is likely common flu tests on the market will see increased usage,” stated Bruce Carlson, publisher of Kalorama Information. “Physicians will feel an urgency to determine if a patient simply has the more common flu, and given the circumstances, they may not want to wait for central lab testing. POC tests are also more effective when patients see the doctor earlier, as they are likely to do when they hear of the epidemic, or crisis.”
The influenza rapid testing market has morphed from an experimental area with a few products, into a considerable component of the entire point-of-care infectious disease market, which Kalorama Information values at over $500 million annually in its new report “World Markets for Point of Care Diagnostics.”
Quidel leads the market for influenza testing with its Rapid Vue product, a rapid chromatographic immunoassay which provides results in 10 minutes from a sample collected via a nose or throat swab. Competitors in influenza testing include Becton Dickinson’s Directigen EZ Flu A+B test, Inverness Medical’s Biax Now and Meridan Biosciences TRU FLU.
In a conference call held Tuesday, Becton Dickinson noted that there has not yet been any increase in demand for its influenza diagnostics.
“The type of products that you can expect to be potentially in higher demand [during a pandemic event], although we’re not necessarily seeing much of it yet, would be rapid flu tests where there’s already an increased demand as you might expect from Mexico,” stated Gary Cohen, BD EVP. “That’s not a large business for us but the demand is already going up. And also immunization devices that would accompany either injectable antivirals or immunizations for the flu strain as injectables are developed, as flu vaccine is developed around these strains.”
Prior to this weekend, point-of-care influenza diagnostics had not been doing well, Kalorama acknowledged.
“All of these companies reported first quarter test sales were down as the result of a weak flu season this winter. It’s probable that this outbreak will boost revenues for these companies, and the stock market has already reacted to this possibility,” the company stated.
Carlson added, “In a crisis atmosphere like this, the benefit of ‘knowing now’ that point-of-care provides is made clear. This could be an important showcase of the need for faster testing, and that is critical for the long-term success of POC testing products in all of infectious disease.”