Hemex Health announced a major enhancement to its Gazelle platform that allows its Hb Variant test to detect beta-thalassemia disease and trait in addition to sickle cell disease and trait. The enhanced Hb Variant test detects beta-thalassemia with accuracy close to the standard laboratory tests HPLC and capillary electrophoresis. Unlike lab tests, which cost tens of thousands of dollars and carry a high cost per test, the Gazelle reader from Hemex Health costs about the same as an iPhone and testing costs only a few dollars.

Installed base Gazelle devices will be updated automatically with the expanded capabilities. Gazelle devices already in use for testing for sickle cell disease and trait will be updated automatically with the expanded capabilities. The upgrade transforms the Gazelle platform into the world’s first complete, low cost, on-site, rapid testing (8-minute) solution for beta-thalassemia.

Gazelle makes simple programmes such as school screenings possible so that haemoglobin disorders can be detected more widely. The sensitive detection and precise quantification of variants allow Gazelle to detect beta-thalassemia in babies as young as six months, and sickle cell in newborns as early as 37 weeks gestation.