New Agar Medium for the Isolation and Testing Susceptibility of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Against Drugs

Tech ID: 00-05

Summary - Scientists at National Jewish Health have developed a new agar medium for the isolation of M. tuberculosis from patients. The medium can also be used for testing susceptibility of M. tuberculosis against various drugs such as pyrazinamide.

Potential Applications

  • Isolation of M tuberculosis from patients specimens
  • Sub-cultivation of M. tuberculosis pure cultures
  • Direct and indirect susceptibility testing.

Advantages of Invention

  • The medium can be used in regular incubators (without supplemental CO2)
  • The medium can be used at pH 6.0
  • The medium can be used for a test with pyrazinamid
  • The medium is using animal serum (bovine serum for example) instead of OADC
  • The medium is less expensive to produce
  • Pyrazinamide test can be performed more easily and faster

State of Development - The medium has been successfully tested to isolate M. tuberculosis and for susceptibility with pyrazinamide

Further R&D Required - Susceptibility testing against other drugs.

Licensing Potential - Available for licensing.

Patent Status - U.S.  Patents # 6,579,694 and 6,951,733

Inventors - Heifets L, PhD, and Sanchez T.

Publication - Heifets L. & Sanchez T. (2000) New agar medium for testing susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to pyrazinamide. J Clin Microbiol. Apr;38(4):1498-1501 .

For Further Information, Contact:
Emmanuel Hilaire, PhD
Licensing Associate
Intellectual Property and Technology Commercialization Program
National Jewish Health
1400 Jackson Street, Room M206b
Denver, CO 80206
Voice: (303) 398-1262
Fax: (303) 270-2352
HilaireE@njc.org

Note: This information is provided to you as an educational service of National Jewish Health. It is not meant to be a substitute for consulting with your own physician.

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