• New real-time PCR rapid test for detection of four STIs
• First Vivalytic test in collaboration with development partner BioGX
• Positive test results available within the hour directly at the car pointAnd

Waiblingen – Bosch Healthcare Solutions has received the CE mark for the new Vivalytic MG, MH, UP/UU, developed in collaboration with BioGX, a US-based global molecular diagnostics company. The test is now available as part of the Vivalytic analyzer testing portfolio and can therefore be used directly at the point of care. This real-time PCR rapid test is capable of detecting four sexually transmitted infection (STI) pathogens: Mycoplasma genitalium (MG), Mycoplasma hominis (MH), Ureaplasma parvum (UP), and Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU). After taking the sample and starting the test, a positive result is available in less than an hour, making the test particularly suitable for use in direct patient care in physician offices and clinics. Here, it can enable the differential diagnosis of STIs directly at the sampling point without delays due to transport or logistics. For example, the test can detect if you have infectious urethritis (nongonorrheal urethritis, NGU)[1], if one of the four pathogens is responsible for the infection. However, rapid diagnosis also helps to counter the further spread of STI pathogens. The Vivalytic MG, MH, UP/UU test saves a lot of time compared to diagnostics by cultivation of pathogens. In the case of MH, UP and UU, cultivation can take from one to three days and up to six months for MG[2].

One million new infections per day
More than 30 different pathogens can cause STDs. WHO estimates that one million people worldwide are infected with sexually transmitted pathogens every day[3]. Although in most cases the infections are asymptomatic, if left undetected they can lead to serious health problems and even sexual health problems. The four pathogens detected by the new test also belong to the set of human STI pathogens, although the two ureaplasmas in particular can often occur as commensals[4].

Vivalytic Analyzer: Simple application at the sampling point
The benefits of PCR rapid tests performed with the Bosch Vivalytic analyzer are not only faster results, but also ease of use: once the sample is taken with a swab, it is inserted into the test cartridge. The cartridge, which contains all the reagents needed for the respective test, is then inserted into the Vivalytic analyzer for automatic evaluation. Operation is simple and medical personnel can learn to use it in no time. The time required for the respective analysis depends on the complexity of the test. In addition to the new MG, MH, UP/UU, the Vivalytic product portfolio includes tests for viral respiratory infections (VRI), tests for SARS-CoV-2 – which can also be performed as a pooling variant and as a lollipop test – as well as a multiplex test for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

Sources
[1] G. Bonkat et al., EAU Guidelines on Urological Infections; European Association of Urology 2020
[2] CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) 2021 Guidelines, Publication: Workowski et al., STIs Treatment Guidelines, 2021. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2021 Jul 23;70(4):1-187
[3] https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/sexually-transmitted-infections-(stis)to: 15.03.2022
[4)] Waites et al., J Mol Diagn. 2012 Sep;14(5):437-50

Bosch Healthcare Solutions YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYQbynaOEzfGV0x5swPTjrg
The use of the Vivalytic Analyzer at Villa Rosenstein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnZA6ACzEC0

Press contact:
Thomas Berroth
Marketing communication
Thomas.berroth2@de.bosch.com
+49 (0)711 811-45 599

Bosch Healthcare Solutions GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of Robert Bosch GmbH. The subsidiary was founded in 2015 with the aim of developing products and services that improve people’s health and quality of life. Almost 300 employees (status 2022) are employed at the company’s headquarters in Waiblingen, Germany. The subsidiary’s solutions draw on the core competencies of the Bosch Group: sensors for collecting data, software for evaluating this data, and services based on this data analysis.

More information is available online at
www.bosch-healthcare.com, www.vivatmo.com, www.bosch-vivalytic.com.

The Bosch Group is a leading global provider of technology and services. It employs approximately 402,600 people worldwide (as of December 31, 2021). The company generated sales of €78.7 billion in 2021. Its businesses are divided into four business segments: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0 and connected mobility. Bosch pursues a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected and cross-domain solutions from a single source. The strategic goal of the Bosch Group is to facilitate connected life with products and solutions that contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life around the world with innovative products and services that inspire enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates « Invented for Life » technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its approximately 440 subsidiaries and regional companies in approximately 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. With more than 400 locations worldwide, the Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since the first quarter of 2020. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 128 locations worldwide, Bosch employs around 76,100 people in research and development, of whom more than 38,000 are software engineers.

The company was founded in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861–1942) as a « Workshop for precision mechanics and electrical engineering ». The unique ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, enabling the company to plan for the long term and make significant initial investments to safeguard its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and a company owned by the Bosch family. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. Entrepreneurial ownership functions are performed by the trust.

More information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.iot.bosch.com, www.boschpress.com, www.twitter.com/BoschPress.