Universal Biosensors is the exclusive manufacturer of PT-INR strips for Siemens at the company’s existing plant in Rowville, Victoria.

AUSTRALIA-based Universal Biosensors says its collaboration with Siemens is bearing fruit for customers in Europe, with the launch of a coagulation analysing device in that market.

Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics has started a European limited release of the Xprecia Stride Coagulation Analyser, a PT-INR testing system incorporating Universal Biosensors’ electrochemical sensing technology.

Universal Biosensors is the exclusive manufacturer of PT-INR strips for Siemens at the company’s existing plant in Rowville, Victoria.

The technology allows the device to offer high performance and ease of use in an affordable, handheld format.

As part of the collaboration deal, the launch of the Xprecia Stride device means Siemens will pay US$1 million to Universal Biosensors as a milestone payment.

The Xprecia Stride Coagulation Analyser is used to monitor the application of the anti-coagulant therapy, Warfarin, which is used by up to 10 million patients globally.

Patients on Warfarin require frequent testing to assess the clotting tendency of their blood. The Prothrombin Time (PT-INR) test allows physicians to adjust patient doses for diet and lifestyle changes.

The worldwide point-of-care coagulation testing market was estimated at around US$1.0 billion in 2014 and is forecast to grow by 9 percent per annum to around US$1.4 billion by 2018.

Universal Biosensors is a specialist medical diagnostics company, founded in 2001, that is focused on the development, manufacture and commercialisation of a range of in vitro diagnostic tests for point-of-care use. These tests are centred on a technology platform which uses a novel electrochemical cell that can be adapted for various uses and provide enhanced measurements in whole blood.