Sussex NHS trust moves to routine use of Genedrive test

(Sharecast News) - Genedrive said on Tuesday that the University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust had moved its MT-RNR1 test into routine clinical service for use in neonatal intensive care units.

The AIM-traded point-of-care pharmacogenetic testing company said the trust transitioned to business-as-usual clinical use of the Genedrive MT-RNR1 ID kit from 1 May.

It said the test was used to help prevent antibiotic-induced hearing loss in newborn babies by identifying a genetic variant that could make patients vulnerable to aminoglycoside-related lifelong hearing loss.

University Hospitals Sussex's Trevor Mann Baby Unit at Royal Sussex County Hospital provides specialist care for about 400 neonatal intensive care admissions each year.

The site had been part of the PALOH-UK programme, designed to address NICE real-world evidence generation requirements.

Genedrive said nearly 40 babies in neonatal intensive care units had been identified with the MT-RNR1 variant since the test was introduced in the UK, enabling alternative antibiotic prescribing and reducing the risk of aminoglycoside-induced hearing loss.

Chief executive Dr Gino Miele said the move to routine clinical service at University Hospitals Sussex was "a key milestone" in broader UK adoption of the test.

"UHS was an early adopter of this test prior to the initiation of the PALOH-UK programme and has been a key supporter of genedrive's technology," he said.

"Since its introduction in the region, the test has had clear impact, identifying several babies who otherwise would have been at risk of lifelong hearing loss."

Miele said Genedrive was in active talks with other hospitals in the PALOH-UK programme to support the transition from PALOH-UK funding into routine practice.

"We are delighted that babies and families in this region of NHS England will continue to benefit from the routine availability of our test," he said.

Funding for PALOH-UK sites is provided by the Office for Life Sciences and the National Institute for Health and Care Research, and would end by June, with some sites completing earlier.

Genedrive said NICE was expected to review the evidence and issue final guidance around July next year.

At 1123 BST, shares in Genedrive were down 1.58% at 0.94p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.

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