Siemens Healthineers announced today that its POCcelerator™ data management system will now be connected to the HLS Therapeutics Inc. (TSX:HLS) CSAN® ProntoTM, a point-of-care device indicated for quantitative determination of white blood cells (WBC) and neutrophil percentages in capillary or venous whole blood.

The CSAN Pronto is a point of care device that uses capillary (finger stick) as opposed to venous blood draw to simplify the process of routine bloodwork for patients on Clozaril® (clozapine), a therapeutic for people with Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia.

“Patients on Clozaril need regular blood tests to continuously monitor their white blood cell count,” said Dr. Jason A. Gross, Vice President, of Scientific Affairs, HLS Therapeutics. “Up to 39 tests are needed in the first year for patients who start Clozaril, and all the readings need to be communicated in an efficient way to the various healthcare providers involved in the patient’s care. The POCcelerator from Siemens Healthineers helps streamline this process, ensuring every caregiver has the information to hand to ensure patients receive the best treatment possible.”

Between 25-30 per cent of people meet the criteria for Treatment Resistant Schizophrenia. For these patients, the only treatment that is indicated and recommended by guidelines is Clozaril. However, the required bloodwork needed has been identified as a major barrier to appropriate Clozaril use. When starting Clozaril, blood tests are required every week for the first six months, every two weeks for the following six months, and then every four weeks after one year. That equates to at least 39 venipuncture in the first full year of treatment. At least 12 per year is then needed after the first year.

“The CSAN Pronto from HLS Therapeutics is a point of care device that quantitatively determines white blood cell counts and neutrophil percentages on-site by a healthcare professional, from a drop of blood,” continued Dr. Gross. “Within a few minutes, patient results are available to the healthcare team and simultaneously automatically uploaded into the patient’s CSAN profile. Lab accurate white blood counts in minutes could enable faster treatment decisions and simplify patients’ blood monitoring process.”

“Thanks to POCcelerator interfacing with the CSAN Pronto, the process of collecting, sharing and acting on data is simplified,” said Ingrid Lansard, Head Point of Care and Molecular, Siemens Healthineers, Canada. “POCcelerator empowers the user to manage multiple devices and operators by consolidating multiple POC IT systems and transmits results from the devices via a single interface to the central information system, thus ensuring all healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of a patient have the necessary, relevant, and latest information at their fingertips to make informed treatment decisions.”


About Siemens Healthineers
Siemens Healthineers AG (listed in Frankfurt, Germany: SHL) is shaping the future of Healthcare. As a leading medical technology company headquartered in Erlangen, Germany, Siemens Healthineers enables healthcare providers worldwide through its regional companies to increase value by empowering them on their journey towards expanding precision medicine, transforming care delivery, improving the patient experience, and digitalizing healthcare. Siemens Healthineers is continuously developing its product and service portfolio, with AI-supported applications and digital offerings that play an increasingly important role in the next generation of medical technology. These new applications will enhance the company’s foundation in in-vitro diagnostics, image-guided therapy, and in-vivo diagnostics. Siemens Healthineers also provides a range of services and solutions to enhance healthcare providers’ ability to provide high-quality, efficient care to patients. In fiscal 2020, which ended on September 30, 2020, Siemens Healthineers, which has approximately 54,000 employees worldwide, generated revenue of €14.5 billion and adjusted EBIT of €2.2 billion.


ABOUT Athelas One WBC System and CSAN PRONTO
Athelas One WBC System was cleared by the FDA in November 2018, and a medical device license for the Athelas One WBC System has now been granted by Health Canada.

CSAN Pronto integrates the Athelas One WBC System device in a way that is designed to streamline blood testing for both patients and healthcare practitioners by enabling patients to have their blood monitoring work done right in their health care provider's office and to receive test results during their visit. CSAN Pronto uses imaging technology and artificial intelligence to quantitatively determine white blood cell and Neutrophil percentages from a single-drop of blood, obtained from a "finger-stick" blood test. Results are communicated in minutes and will be securely uploaded to a patient's CSAN profile becoming simultaneously available to everyone on the patient's healthcare team. Based on these documented results in the registry, patients can access their medication from their pharmacist.


ABOUT HLS THERAPEUTICS INC.
Formed in 2015, HLS is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the acquisition and commercialization of late stage development, commercial stage promoted and established branded pharmaceutical products in the North American markets. HLS's focus is on products targeting the central nervous system and cardiovascular therapeutic areas. HLS's management team is composed of seasoned pharmaceutical executives with a strong track record of success in these therapeutic areas and at managing products in each of these lifecycle stages.