First Published Study to Report In Vitro Detection of Fluorescence from Bacteria in Biofilm with Point-of-care Wound Imaging Device

In Vitro Study Demonstrates Detectable Red Fluorescence from 88% of Planktonic and Biofilm Wound Pathogens when Imaged by the MolecuLight i:X® Imaging Device

Toronto, CANADA – (March 3, 2020) MolecuLight Inc., the world’s leader in handheld fluorescence imaging for real-time detection of bacteria in wounds, announces the publication of  “In vitro detection of porphyrin-producing wound bacteria with real-time fluorescence imaging” in Future Microbiology. The peer-reviewed paper published on February 26, 2020 describes the results of an extensive in vitro validation study using the MolecuLight i:X fluorescence imaging system to detect common wound pathogens. In this study, the porphyrin production and red fluorescing capabilities of 32 common bacterial species were investigated in planktonic (free floating) and biofilm bacteria cultures using the MolecuLight i:X fluorescence imaging device. When provided with appropriate nutrients, 28/32 porphyrin-producing bacterial species produced red fluorescence when illuminated with the MolecuLight i:X.  Red fluorescence was also observed from porphyrin-producing bacteria in biofilms. The results clearly validate that the MolecuLight i:X fluorescence imaging device can detect red fluorescence from both planktonic and biofilm bacterial cultures and confirm that porphyrin production is the main biological source of red fluorescence detected from many clinically relevant bacteria.

“This is the first published study to report detection of red fluorescence under MolecuLight i:X violet light illumination from bacteria confirmed to be in biofilm”, says Monique Rennie, PhD, Director of Scientific Affairs, MolecuLight Inc. and co-author of the paper. “This is an exciting finding as the ability to visualize the majority of wound pathogens, as well as biofilm in the clinical setting in real-time, is not possible with current standard of care techniques in wound care. Bacterial biofilms are estimated to be present in more than 70% of chronic wounds. Biofilms delay healing and can be up to 1000-times more resistant to antimicrobials than planktonic bacteria. Guidelines instruct clinicians to mechanically disrupt biofilm so that their antibacterial treatments can be effective, but without point-of-care diagnostic feedback on bacteria and biofilm location clinicians are working without a map. Safe, non-contact fluorescence imaging using the MolecuLight i:X allows clinicians, at the point-of-care, to visualize the presence, location and load (>104 CFU/g) of bacteria in wounds, including bacteria in biofilm per these published in vitro findings, and is the only diagnostic imaging procedure to do so. Our growing body of clinical evidence demonstrates the significant improvement in patient outcomes that are being generated as a result of this new point-of-care imaging capability”.

See the complete listing of all 28 peer-reviewed publications on studies of 483 patients featuring the MolecuLight i:X platform.

About MolecuLight Inc.
MolecuLight Inc. (www.moleculight.com) is a privately-owned medical imaging company that has developed and is commercializing its proprietary fluorescent imaging platform technology in multiple clinical markets. MolecuLight’s first commercially released device, the MolecuLight i:X® fluorescence imaging system and its accessories are used for the detection of bacteria and digital wound measurement, and to provide a point-of-care handheld diagnostic tool for the global wound care market. The MolecuLight i:X provides clinicians with information about the fluorescent characteristics of wounds containing bacteria to assist in making improved diagnostic and treatment decisions. The company is also commercializing its unique fluorescence imaging platform technology for other markets with globally relevant, unmet needs including food safety, consumer cosmetics and other key industrial markets.

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