Diagnostics firm announces distributor for preeclampsia test
Diagnostics company Shuwen Biotech, will have its test for preeclampsia distributed by PerkinElmer in over 100 countries around the globe, accounting for over 120 million pregnancies annually.
Preeclampsia affects 2–8% of pregnancies worldwide and in places such as Latin America, it represents the number one cause of maternal death. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, symptoms of preeclampsia are not noticeable until it has progressed, emphasising the major unmet need for an objective and effective test, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Shuwen’s chairman and CEO, Jay Z. Zhang, said: “Shuwen's core values are innovation, patent protection and international collaboration, and I am happy to see all three of these values are being realized through our collaboration with PerkinElmer. We are now able to expand the impact of our life-improving products to an unprecedented global scale. PerkinElmer has a strong track record of commitment to maternal fetal health globally and we are proud to be working together."
Shuwen's breakthrough preeclampsia detection kit is a urine-based, non-invasive point-of-care test, meaning no specialised instrumentation or equipment is needed to operate the test. The test produces a result in less than three minutes and is currently available for sale in a number of markets. Clinical testing has shown the test to be over 95% accurate in diagnosing preeclampsia in women who are admitted to hospitals, regardless of reason for admission.
Petra Furu, general manager, reproductive health, PerkinElmer, said: “PerkinElmer is committed to improving the lives of pregnant women and children globally, and this relationship helps us leverage our strong scientific and commercial network to offer Shuwen's innovative product to more women in need all over the world. There is a global need for advanced diagnostic solutions for, and we believe this point-of-care test will help address this need with respect to preeclampsia."