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Abbott’s Quick Diagnostics

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In the world of medicine, quick action is essential. That’s why Abbott (ABT) believes its Ibis T5000 Biosensor system can have a meaningful impact on public health. “The technology’s ability to detect and identify newly emerging agents offers significant potential applications for disease surveillance,” says Stafford O’Kelly, head of Abbott’s molecular diagnostics business.

Abbott says the Ibis T5000 (marketed for research use only as PLEX-ID) saves health officials valuable time. Standard disease identification typically uses traditional methods, like cultures, to test for specific bacteria or viruses, a process that can take days. The Ibis T5000 uses a variety of technologies — including a large proprietary database of genetic signatures of different organisms — which allows the device to act quickly and thoroughly.

Developed by the company’s Ibis Biosciences unit, the Ibis T5000 helped the Naval Health Research Center in San Diego identify the first two cases of H1N1 in the U.S., says the company. It took the gold in the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation Awards in 2009. Says O’Kelly: “It has the potential to be a powerful and versatile tool in clinical diagnostics.”