Becton Dickinson and Co. said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved its BD Phoenix CPO detect test to identify potentially antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
The medical device maker's test is used to detect carbapenemase-producing organisms, or CPOs, such as E. coli, which are found in human intestines.
Certain CPOs have developed resistance to nearly all available antibacterial medications including carbapenem, one of the most potent antibiotics available.
The Franklin Lakes, N.J.-based company said its test can detect CPOs in under 36 hours, compared to up to 96 hours taken by conventional tests. It can also detect the enzyme produced by the bacteria to help the doctors prescribe the most effective medication.
Becton Dickinson, which is known for making needles and syringes, expects to launch all versions of the test in January 2019.
In October, the company launched its tuberculosis detection test, BD MAX MDR-TB panel, in Europe which can also identify the multidrug-resistant bacteria.
