15 October 2024, Bengaluru; HaystackAnalytics, a pioneer in genomics-based diagnostic solutions, is proud to announce a significant milestone in precision medicine by expanding its infexn™ test using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). The existing infexn™ test using NGS which has been in use for the comprehensive detection of bacteria, fungi and AMR in a single test, has now been upgraded to also detect respiratory RNA viruses. Thus, by testing respiratory samples, such as VTM, BAL, etc. using the infexn™ – NGS test, clinicians are further enabled towards antimicrobial stewardship (AMSP), wherein they may not choose a specific test for a specific suspected infection. Instead a single infexn™ – NGS test can screen for major RNA viruses, all bacterial and fungal human pathogens, and AMR.

Infectious diseases remain a major public health concern worldwide, impacting millions of lives every day. Globally, many respiratory viruses continue to pose significant challenges. Influenza strains such as Influenza A(H1N1) and Influenza A(H3N2), along with Influenza B, Parainfluenza 3, Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), and Adenovirus, are prevalent across many regions. In India, the burden of infectious diseases is particularly severe, with millions at risk daily. The country not only faces the continuing challenges posed by COVID-19 but also struggles with a high incidence of other respiratory viruses, including Influenza A(H1N1), Influenza A(H3N2), Influenza B, Parainfluenza 3, RSV, and Adenovirus. To combat this, Indian hospitals and diagnostic centers are increasingly adopting cutting-edge technologies to improve the accuracy and speed of infectious disease diagnostics. While there are very few well established antiviral treatment options, clinicians worldwide can make safer choices when supported by comprehensive diagnostic methods. The expansion of the scope of the infexn™ test using NGS, to include the detection of major respiratory RNA viruses, is a step in this direction of hypothesis free, universal infectious diseases testing paradigm.

Commenting on the development, Dr. Anirvan Chatterjee, Co-Founder, HaystackAnalytics, said, “By adding key RNA viruses to the already comprehensive NGS based infexn™ test, we continue to remain one of the world’s very few deeptech startups working towards enabling a judicious use of antibiotics and contributing towards faster and better treatment outcomes.”

Commenting on the development, Dr Mahua Dasgupta Kapoor, Director, Medical Affairs (Infectious Diseases), HaystackAnalytics, said, “We are proud to introduce this expanded capability of infexn™ using NGS, which empowers clinicians to take more precise and timely decisions, especially in the face of respiratory viral outbreaks that can further complicate bacterial or fungal infections. Our aim is to stay ahead of these evolving challenges by offering a comprehensive solution that integrates genome sequencing into everyday healthcare practices. This underscores the transformative role of genomics in India’s healthcare sector, ultimately paving the way for making it more applicable, accessible, and affordable for all.”

The next-generation sequencing test, infexn™, developed by HaystackAnalytics, is a genomics-based test capable of detecting pan-bacterial, pan-fungal, and now respiratory viral infections, along with identifying relevant rare and difficult-to-culture organisms, all within 24 hours. Developed in India and designed for global application, infexn™ using NGS emerges as the preferred test for detecting deadly infectious diseases. It holds the potential to promptly identify infections, empowering the healthcare ecosystem with advanced diagnostics to provide a customized care regime for patients. In the myriad of emerging infectious agents, infexn™ using NGS has now evolved into a versatile diagnostic tool for doctors.