ProQares (Rijswijk, The Netherlands), a subsidiary of the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) and provider of testing, evaluation, and certification services for protective equipment against chemical hazards made the marketing arrangement with Rapid Pathogen Screening Inc. (RPS; Sarasota, FL, USA). RPS is a developer of point-of-care diagnostic tests.

The kit, dubbed ChemTox, is a point-of-care diagnostic test for exposure to chemical poisons in the blood, including Soman, Sarin, Tabun, and VX. Using just a finger-stick blood sample, ChemTox can detect low-level chemical nerve agent exposure in 10 minutes or less. The kit produces a positive test result at clinically relevant low-level exposure to Soman, Sarin, Tabun, and VX nerve agents at concentrations of 10 ng/mL.

While high-level exposure can quickly lead to death, low-level exposure produces vague, nondescript signs and symptoms that are not easily clinically differentiated from other conditions. Ease-of-use enables soldiers, first responders, or civilians to carry ChemTox detectors for use at the time of suspected exposure.

The lack of a diagnosis of nerve agent poisoning may result in a delay in or lack of needed treatment, or permanent injury or death when resuscitation drugs or anesthetics are used that aggravate the effects of the low-level nerve agent poisoning. The simple and fast detection would provide the opportunity to identify if people are exposed and allows application of the required treatment.

"The partnership with RPS complements ProQares' mission to contribute to the protection of humans against toxic threats by providing fast and reliable test results," said Jack van Hoof, managing director of ProQares. "Through the partnership, ProQares will support RPS in marketing ChemTox to its worldwide network of government and industrial organizations."

In early 2012 RPS plans to request the CE marking for ChemTox and to begin discussions with the FDA. The product is not yet available in the United States.

Related Links:
ProQares
Rapid Pathogen Screening