High-throughput surveillance study on antibiotic resistance using the automated SmartChip system

Mountain View, CA—May 16, 2019—Takara Bio USA, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Takara Bio Inc., is proud to announce that researchers at the University of Helsinki, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, CBQF, and Technische Universität Dresden, Institute of Hydrobiology, along with other collaborators have performed the first trans-Europe surveillance study on antibiotic resistance utilizing the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System.

This high-throughput study gathered data covering a large number of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) from a dozen wastewater plants across seven European countries. The SmartChip system enabled efficient, sensitive qPCR on three technical replicates of nearly 300 different ARGs. While temperature and size of the wastewater plant were noted as important factors, analysis of the data identified a pattern of antibiotic resistance that was strongly correlated with antibiotic use. These results demonstrate the need for regular surveillance and implementation of control measures on a global scale.

"It is extremely gratifying to see researchers make headway on such an important topic by taking advantage of the large-scale, flexible capabilities of the SmartChip system," said Carol Lou, President of Takara Bio USA, Inc. "High-throughput qPCR is a powerful tool for data analysis related to a wide range of human health issues, including pathogen detection, clinical biomarkers, and antibiotic resistance. We are pleased to see this platform enabling advancements in these areas of global concern."