ARUP Laboratories and metagenomics firm IDbyDNA have introduced a new next-generation sequencing (NGS) test, Explify Respiratory, for the diagnosis of respiratory diseases such as pneumonia.

Explify Respiratory is designed to detect more than 200 common and rare bacterial, fungal and viral respiratory pathogens through a single test.

The ability of the new test to deliver more information in a clinically relevant turnaround time is expected to minimise the inappropriate use of antibiotics, eliminate sequential testing, and shorten hospital stays.

IDbyDNA’s DNA Taxonomer search engine software has been used in the test to allow rapid identification of an organism by its genetic material.

"We believe Explify Respiratory will provide the critical missing information that clinicians need to direct treatment decisions."

The test is part of an ongoing strategic collaboration between ARUP and IDbyDNA to develop and commercialise new metagenomics-based tests for infectious diseases.

Metagenomics leverages DNA and RNA analysis for quick detection of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites in patient samples.

IDbyDNA chief commercial officer Jeffrey Field said: “We believe Explify Respiratory will provide the critical missing information that clinicians need to direct treatment decisions and will initially be most helpful for very ill patients, test-negative patients with a high level of suspicion for a missed infection, and immuno-compromised patients who might be infected with a long list of diverse pathogens.”

According to the data obtained from a previous study, Explify Respiratory identified pathogens that were undetected by standard laboratory tests in 44% of immuno-compromised children who were treated for pneumonia in the intensive care unit.