Latest IDEXX Innovations Designed to Enhance Patient Care and Drive Veterinary Productivity

WESTBROOK, Maine, January 17, 2020—IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDXX), a global leader in veterinary diagnostics and software, today announced the latest updates to its SediVue Dx^® Urine Sediment Analyzer, Catalyst Dx^® and Catalyst One^® chemistry analyzers, and IDEXX Web PACS™ cloud-based diagnostic imaging software, expanding the capabilities of each platform. These updates are designed to provide diagnostic tools that enhance patient care and drive productivity for veterinary teams by removing key workflow constraints.

“IDEXX’s innovation strategy is focused on advancing veterinary patient care and improving the customer experience,” said Jay Mazelsky, President and Chief Executive Officer of IDEXX Laboratories. “These updates target important medical conditions, were influenced by customer input, and are affirmations of our commitment to customers that when they invest in their relationship with IDEXX, we invest in their practice via important ongoing enhancements to their IDEXX technology.”

SediVue Dx Urine Sediment Analyzer now with Advanced Bacteria Detection

This breakthrough innovation for the SediVue Dx Urine Sediment Analyzer now with Advanced Bacteria Detection will dramatically enhance veterinarians’ ability to obtain definitive bacteria results in urine sediment analysis, a core component of a urinalysis. Powered by the world’s largest veterinary database of 350 million veterinary patient-generated images, the latest artificial intelligence-based Neural Network software update will enhance the SediVue Dx analyzer’s bacteria identification capabilities. And a new proprietary reagent leveraging patent-pending technology will modify a sample and remove clutter from crowded images, enabling veterinarians to obtain conclusive bacteria results with each SediVue Dx run, even in the most clinically challenging samples. 

Bacteria can hide behind cells and crystals, or debris in the sample can mimic their appearance, often making bacterial detection the most challenging aspect of urine sediment analysis. Bacteria are the most frequent cause of urinary tract infections, so detection is critical for diagnosing and appropriately treating these common occurrences. Delayed or inappropriate treatment—or worse, an untreated infection with clinical signs—can lead to complications that include the spread of infection, kidney dysfunction, or potentially death. Conclusive bacterial results help veterinarians confidently determine next steps for a patient, which may include a urine culture, a short course of antibiotics for an uncomplicated infection, or additional diagnostics if a more complex case presents. 

The SediVue Dx analyzer global install base of 8,200 instruments will benefit from these transformative enhancements, and customers will begin to receive the update in March. 

Catalyst Bile Acids Test for Catalyst Dx and Catalyst One chemistry analyzers

IDEXX continues to expand the capabilities of its Catalyst platform, bringing the focus in 2020 beyond the kidney to the liver. The Catalyst Bile Acids Test is the eighth new diagnostic in a series of Catalyst chemistry analyzer menu expansions over the last eight years, including the Catalyst^® SDMA Test, Catalyst^® SDMA and Total T4 Kit, Catalyst^® Progesterone Test, and Catalyst^® CRP Test. The Catalyst Bile Acids Test provides veterinarians a convenient indicator of liver function with the accuracy and range of the reference laboratory and real-time results to help them plan appropriate next steps for their patients.

Understanding liver function serves as an important guide before recommending monitoring or supportive treatment or possibly more costly or invasive diagnostics like ultrasound or biopsy. In cases where the findings on a minimum database suggest evidence of liver disease, or when there is concern for the presence of a portosystemic shunt, bile acids testing allows veterinarians to analyze whether a patient’s liver is still functioning well and able to carry out its important tasks.

There are 41,500 Catalyst analyzers in use globally. IDEXX will begin shipping the new bile acids test to customers in North America and select European countries in March as part of a phased global launch.

IDEXX Web PACS diagnostic imaging software advanced viewer powered by artificial intelligence

IDEXX will release a cloud-based software update for its IDEXX Web PACS diagnostic imaging platform that is the first use of artificial intelligence in veterinary radiology and will provide enhanced performance for improved productivity, increased usability, and faster speed to diagnosis. Often referred to as “hanging protocols,” the functionality of this new advanced viewer powered by artificial intelligence automatically corrects image orientation and sorts images by body part.

In veterinary medicine, unlike in human medicine, teams often follow varying protocols and take radiographs in the order in which they are able to obtain them based on the extent their nonverbal patients are willing to cooperate. As a result, veterinarians, technicians, specialists, and radiologists can spend up to 25% of their image interpretation time rotating or flipping images to properly orient them.¹  Moreover, images are often stored by date versus body part, requiring additional administrative time to sort images according to medically accepted anatomical position.

IDEXX Web PACS is the most widely subscribed cloud-based software solution in veterinary medicine and this innovation will be available to customers by the end of the first quarter.

SediVue Dx and Catalyst analyzer customers are connected to IDEXX SmartService™ Solutions, which connects IDEXX devices globally, provides web-based customer service and support, and pushes regular updates to customers free of charge. Upon availability of the Neural Network and bile acids software updates, IDEXX SmartService Solutions will automatically push them to all connected analyzers.

For more information on IDEXX products and services, go to idexx.com.

About IDEXX Laboratories
IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. is a member of the S&P 500^® Index and is a leader in pet healthcare innovation, serving practicing veterinarians around the world with a broad range of diagnostic and information technology-based products and services. IDEXX products enhance the ability of veterinarians to provide advanced medical care, improve staff efficiency, and build more economically successful practices. IDEXX is also a worldwide leader in providing diagnostic tests and information for livestock and poultry and tests for the quality and safety of water and milk. Headquartered in Maine, IDEXX employs more than 8,000 people and offers products to customers in over 175 countries. For more information about IDEXX, visit idexx.com.

Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 

This news release contains or may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as “expects,” “may,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “would,” “will,” “plans,” “believes,” “estimates,” “should,” “project,” and similar words and expressions. These forward-looking statements are intended to provide our current expectation or forecasts of future events; are based on current estimates, projections, beliefs, and assumptions; and are not guarantees of future performance. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, as well as a number of assumptions concerning future events. These statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on such forward-looking statements because actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied. The reports filed by IDEXX pursuant to United States securities laws contain discussions of these risks and uncertainties. IDEXX assumes no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Readers are advised to review IDEXX’s filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (which are available from the SEC’s EDGAR database at sec.gov and via IDEXX’s website at idexx.com).

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