Next Gen Diagnostics Partners with Shionogi for Susceptibility Testing of Cefiderocol

Next Gen Diagnostics (NGD) has announced an agreement with Shionogi & Co., Ltd. to develop machine learning models predicting susceptibility to the antibiotic cefiderocol. Shionogi, a Japan-based pharmaceutical company, developed cefiderocol, known for tackling infections from resistant Gram-negative bacteria.

Cefiderocol requires a special growth medium for testing its efficacy, limiting its compatibility with conventional testing devices. NGD's sequence-based susceptibility testing aims to eliminate this need, providing an alternative testing approach.

Dr. Paul A. Rhodes, CEO of NGD, emphasized the significance of this partnership, citing the crucial role cefiderocol plays in advancing antibiotic treatments. The United States has already approved cefiderocol for treating various Gram-negative bacterial infections in adults.

Boudewijn de Jonge of Shionogi noted that NGD's expertise would further illuminate cefiderocol's resistance mechanisms, though such instances remain rare.