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Sysmex’s Initiatives Against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)

Antibiotics are essential drugs in our daily lives. However, the misuse of antibiotics, such as taking them just because you have a cold, has led to the social issue of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which has become a threat to our lives.

As a company directly involved in healthcare, Sysmex is tackling this social issue by developing products incorporating new testing technologies.

AMR as a Global Threat

AMR occurs when antimicrobial agents become less effective or totally ineffective over time due to overuse or inappropriate use.

For example, a patient might choose to take an antibiotic once a day instead of twice daily as instructed by their doctor and/or pharmacist, or they may stop taking it after just one day because their symptoms have improved, though the prescribed period is five days. Owing to such inappropriate use, antibiotics are no longer able to kill harmful bacteria in the body completely, and those that survive may become drug resistant. When drug-resistant bacteria proliferate in the body, antibiotics are less effective, making it difficult to treat infections that would otherwise be mild and reversible. If this happens, the disease can be severe or even fatal.

It has been estimated that 10 million people will die annually due to AMR in 2050. This exceeds the number of deaths due to cancer, and the WHO and various other organizations have designated AMR as a social challenge that should be addressed on a global level.

Sysmex’s Initiatives

Clinical Testing Essential for the Proper Use of Antibiotics

For antibiotics to be used correctly, rapid screening tests in the clinical setting is necessary.

About 90% of cold symptoms are said to be caused by viral infections so antibiotics will be ineffective against them. Therefore, proper treatment requires determining whether the patient’s symptoms are caused by a virus or bacteria. In addition, identifying the type of bacteria infecting the patient and any drug resistance it has will allow antibiotics to be administered effectively.

Tackling Universal Threat with Testing Technologies

However, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) to determine the effectiveness of antibiotics against pathogens normally requires several days to produce results. This makes it difficult to prescribe antibiotics based on test results at the initial consultation and can lead to AMR in some cases.

For example, urinary tract infections (UTIs) are caused by bacterial growth in the bladder. UTIs are relatively common, about 60% of women are affected by them at least once in their lifetime*, and AMR is a concern. This is because in many UTI cases, medication is given based on symptoms such as fever, and it has been reported that antibiotics are sometimes administered even when bacteria are absent in the urine.

Example of operations in large hospitals with in-house clinical laboratories

Sysmex has been working on developing testing technologies that enable rapid AST to contribute to the proper use of antibiotics for UTIs. Furthermore, Sysmex has developed the world’s first testing system to detect antimicrobial susceptibility in as little as 30 minutes, and sales in Europe began in June 2023.

Read about the journey of developing the testing system for the rapid detection of antimicrobial susceptibility in Stories

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is spreading with inappropriate use of antimicrobials used to treat bacterial infections. As a company involved in healthcare, Sysmex is working to establish testing technologies and product development to address this issue. This story introduces the AMR countermeasures in the Sysmex Group through a conversation between Sysmex associates.

For its potential to revolutionize traditional clinical workflows for bacterial infectious diseases and its significant contribution to combating AMR, this testing system was awarded the Longitude Prize on AMR, one of the UK’s highest science awards, in June 2024.

Dedication to Initiatives Against AMR - Sysmex Group Award Winner Interview-

“Longitude Prize on AMR” Video introducing award winners

Source: Official Website of Longitude Prize on AMR

Individual Measures Against AMR

To help prevent the occurrence and spread of AMR, the following are six measures you can take in your daily life.

Owing to being directly involved in healthcare, Sysmex has been focusing on a range of AMR-related initiatives, which include the global “#AMRfighter” campaign to raise awareness of AMR and dissemination of educational brochures.

In addition, the company is going to accelerate its efforts to expand the global deployment of the testing system for the rapid detection of antimicrobial susceptibility and target diseases, continuing its contribution to AMR countermeasures that address the global threat of AMR.

Related Information

Sysmex Launches World's First Point-of-Care Testing System in Europe to Detect Antimicrobial Susceptibility in Just 30 Minutes

Sysmex joins the fight against antimicrobial resistance（Sysmex Europe SE）

Sysmex Joins the Fight Against AMR（Sysmex Asia Pacific）

Educational brochure”Proper Use of Antimicrobials”

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The purpose of the information on this page is to communicate our business activities to our stakeholders. It may or may not include information about Sysmex's products or their research and development, but is not intended for promotion, advertising, or medical advice. The information contained here is current as of november 2024, but may be subject to change without prior notice.