Thermo Fisher Scientific Launches New Immunoassay for Kratom Alkaloid Mitragynine Screening

FREMONT, Calif., April 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science, today announced the availability of the Thermo Scientific CEDIA Mitragynine (Kratom) Assay, its newest drugs of abuse test that includes supporting calibrators and controls. The CEDIA Mitragynine (Kratom) Assay can be run on commonly used clinical chemistry analyzers, allowing a broad spectrum of laboratorians to test for the presence of Kratom. This test is for criminal justice and forensic use only.

Kratom abuse has dramatically increased in the United States over the past several years. The National Poison Data System (NPDS) noted a 52.5% increase in reported Kratom exposures between 2011 and 2017 and the FDA officially reported at least 44 deaths associated with its use. The active alkaloid in Kratom is mitragynine, which acts on the opioid receptors, and at moderate to high doses, users begin to experience opioid-like physiological and psychological effects.

"The CEDIA Mitragynine Assay, with its excellent correlation with LC-MS/MS and high precision, is an easier to use alternative and a more cost-effective screening tool for the detection of mitragynine in urine samples," said Fernando Beils, vice president and general manager of Clinical Diagnostics for Thermo Fisher. "Prior to this assay, other screening methods for mitragynine were either time-consuming and expensive, requiring highly-trained staff, or manual with subjective interpretation of results."

Kratom is not currently classified as a controlled substance, but it is listed by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) as a "drug of concern," since it can result in severe health effects or even death. It is illegal in some cities and states.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science, with revenues of more than $24 billion and approximately 70,000 employees globally. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. We help our customers accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Through our premier brands – Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific and Unity Lab Services – we offer an unmatched combination of innovative technologies, purchasing convenience and comprehensive support. For more information, please visit www.thermofisher.com.

Media Contact Information:

Mary Gottenborg

Director, Marketing

510-979-5000

Mary.gottenborg@thermofisher.com

www.thermofisher.com/kratom

Secondary Contact Information:

Kathy Ruzich

Sr Manager, Marketing Communications

510-979-5157

Kathy.ruzich@thermofisher.com

SOURCE Thermo Fisher Scientific