G'day geffa,Yes I am aware of proteome systems. I have no idea...

G'day geffa,

Yes I am aware of proteome systems. I have no idea if Pierpont is aware of CST. Much of the investment community is not yet aware of CST so it is very possible that he is not.

Anyway, from the proteome web page.

"This program has focused on identifying TB proteins that are specifically expressed during active infection."

The important part here is the word ACTIVE. The truth is that there are literally dozens of companies around the world that claim to have diagnostic tests for ACTIVE TB "in development". I have followed up on most of them and when one puts aside the glossy brochure claims, the independant results from trials are very poor.

TB is a sneaky little bacterium and is very difficult to identify - hence whilst the bacterium has been know for well over 100 years the diagnostic tools available have been, at best, mediocre.

I really don't know how good the PXL diagnostic test is as I haven't seen any trial results. It may well be the goods. It would certainly be of great benefit to mankind as some 2m people die of TB each and every year.

The QuantiFERON-Gold TB diagnostic product from CST is quite different in that it is designed as a screenng diagnostic for LATENT TB ie TB in the body in it's early dormant stage. In a healthy community the rate of progression from LATENT TB to ACTIVE TB is around 15%.

There is an urgent need for effective diagnostics for both LATENT and ACTIVE TB.

Without going into a long story, each is required in different circumstances. In the developed (low incidence) countries, it is crucial to have a test for latent TB to eradicate TB totally. In other parts of the world, humanitarian direction of resources demands that active TB be tackled first (then latent TB).

In essence, IF the PXS diagnostic for ACTIVE TB does work and does get off the ground then we will have two Australian companies that, together, will make a major contribution to world health.

It is worth pointing out that it has taken CST more thatn 5 years to get the QuantiFERON product through all the regulations to the stage where we are now making sales. And this was after some 20 years of development in the animal model. It is a long hard road.

I hope this helps geffa.