Merck Launches Innovative System for Monitoring Progression of HIV/AIDS

In a bid to tackle HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Merck has launched its innovative MuseAuto CD4/ CD4 per cent System; a portable instrument for monitoring the progression of HIV/AIDS virus in the country. According to the President and Chief Executive Officer of Merck, Udit Batra, he stated that with the launch of the system, health professionals will have access to more effectively response to healthcare needs of their patients and make progress towards the treatment, cure, and prevention of the disease. “For people infected with HIV, CD4 cells provide an indication of the disease’s progression. In the course of an HIV infection, CD4 cells indicate the state of the immune system and act as markers for T cell lymphocytes.

Patients with a low count of these cells in their blood are at increased risk of opportunistic infections, hence, Merck developed the MuseAuto CD4/ CD4 per cent system for rapid, simple and accurate monitoring of T cells in adults and children,” he stated, adding that, the low-cost system was designed to be easily portable and operational with minimal training, making it the ideal solution for clinics serving patients living in remote areas.

Merck partnered with the University of Yaounde in Cameroon on the clinical testing of the Muse system. Clinical trials were carried out under the leadership of Professor François-Xavier Mbopi-Keou of the Cameroon Ministry of Health, a Harvard University Fellow, to determine if the product accurately monitored the progression of the virus. The output was successful in both adult and child patients.

According to Prof. MbopiKeou , “The Muse Auto CD4/ CD4 per cent system combines a compact instrument with a unique assay and automated gating and acquisition software to easily monitor patients’ CD4 T lymphocytes,” adding that, “It is a user-friendly touchscreen interface and intuitive software work together to simplify operation and analysis.”

In addition to partnering with the University of Yaounde, Merck has been participating in meetings held by the International AIDS Society, the Global Fund to fight AIDS, the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, the African Society of Laboratory Medicine and the American Association for Clinical Chemistry.

The company has also developed strong working relationships with nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) in Africa, as well as government organisations and health ministries.

Also lending his voice, the Deputy CEO of Merck, Professor Stefan Oschman, said the company was increasingly tapping into Africa’s innovative spirit to create health awareness and help respond to unmet medical needs. “Nigeria is an evident choice for us. With a population that is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and innovative ideas, this is a perfect match with Merck,“declared Oschmann.

“Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and we believe that through our high quality and innovative Healthcare and Life Science specialty products and services we can contribute to that growth,” he added