New study confirms QuickMIC[®] as fast and accurate targeting multidrug-resistant bacteria

The diagnostics company Gradientech today announces the publication of a new peer-reviewed scientific study led by the renowned Italian research group of Professor Gian Maria Rossolini, showcasing the performance of the QuickMIC[®] system for ultra-rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST).

The study, conducted at the University of Florence and Careggi University Hospital, evaluated the performance of QuickMIC^® in terms of both accuracy and time to results, comparing it with a standard-of-care workflow for AST. With Italy facing a high incidence of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections, the study leveraged a challenging and clinically relevant collection of samples, providing a robust setting for evaluation.

QuickMIC^®, which is commercially available and market-approved for Gram-negative bacteria commonly found in sepsis cases, is currently the fastest diagnostic system available for AST directly from positive blood cultures.

The published results demonstrate that QuickMIC^® shows strong agreement with standard-of-care AST methods, achieving a 93.2% overall Categorical Agreement, delivering results in less than four hours –dramatically faster than the current clinical standard, which often takes one to two days. The study also highlights the potential of QuickMIC^® as a valuable complement to routinely used rapid molecular tests. In several cases, the system successfully corrected false resistance detections made by molecular methods, which are increasingly challenged by evolving resistance mechanisms and complex bacterial phenotypes.

According to the authors, “Rapid AST systems for positive blood cultures is one of the most promising technological advancements to improve bloodstream infections diagnosis, by providing faster results.”

 

Christer Malmberg, Chief Scientist at Gradientech, comments: “This is a study that clearly shows the potential of ultra-rapid phenotypic AST testing in high-resistance settings with an abundance of complicated and difficult phenotypes. Importantly, these types of studies also provide valuable clinical data that allows us to continuously optimise the QuickMIC^® system towards our aim of totally outperforming standard-of-care solutions in sense of both speed and performance.”

 

The study is published in Microbiology Spectrum, a peer-reviewed scientific journal from the American Society for Microbiology. To access the full article, visit: https://doi.org/10.1128/spectrum.00370-25

QuickMIC^® and its gram-negative panel are CE marked and commercially available in Europe. QuickMIC is classified as a Breakthrough Device by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and available for Investigational Use Only in the U.S., but not 510(k) cleared.

For further information, please contact:
Sara Thorslund, PhD, CEO  Christer Malmberg, PhD, Chief Scientist
Tel: +46 736 29 35 80  Tel: +46 762 01 40 11
 

About Gradientech

Gradientech is a leader in ultra-rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing, developing next-generation diagnostics for infectious disease medicine. Our innovative diagnostic solutions aim to save lives, reduce healthcare costs, and combat the spread of antibiotic resistance – one of our greatest global health threats. Gradientech is headquartered in Uppsala, Sweden. Visit www.gradientech.se for more information.