Public-private partnership develops antimicrobial stewardship program in New York

Paul Edwards

The New York State Department of Health is partnering with ILÚM Health Solutions and OpGen to develop an antimicrobial stewardship research program.

"By investing in public health institutions and innovative research, we are working to protect New Yorkers against harmful infectious diseases while cementing our status as a leader in the growing life sciences sector" Andrew Cuomo, Governor of New York, said in a press release. "This groundbreaking partnership will create new, cutting-edge tools to bring life-changing discoveries out of the lab and into the world, moving our economy forward and creating a stronger, healthier New York for all."

ILÚM, which is a subsidiary of Merck & Co, will create the Infectious Disease Digital Health & Precision Medicine Platform in conjunction with NYSDOH and the Wadsworth Center, a public health laboratory. According to the release, the platform will connect New York health care institutions with the department of health, allowing public health officials to better track and prevent the spread of infectious diseases.

The platform offers providers support in decision-making when choosing antimicrobials and will allow the detection, tracking and management of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in specific health care settings.

In an agreement with NYSDOH and depending on the achievement of an initial efficiency and efficacy milestone at 12 months, ILÚM will relocate its commercial enterprises to the Albany region. The company will invest $48.6 million over 5 years, and the move will create up to 115 news jobs, according to the release. The partnership will also receive $22.4 million, invested by the New York State Life Sciences Initiative.

In a separate agreement, McKesson Medical-Surgical Inc, an affiliate of the McKesson Corporation, will provide ILÚM with infectious disease management technology and services. According to the release, both companies aim to support community hospitals, improve patient safety and reduce antibiotic consumption.

“Infectious disease management is on the agenda at every hospital and health care center in the country,” Paul Edwards, managing director of ILÚM Health Solutions, told Infectious Disease News. “ILÚM’s infectious disease technology platform and real-time information service supports patient management decisions for clinicians, quality programs for institutions, and better outcomes for patients. ILÚM’s partnerships with both the New York State Department of Health and McKesson are critical milestones for the company and send a clear signal that effective infectious disease surveillance is a priority requiring innovative health care technology to track and prevent the spread of infectious disease and in particular resistant organisms.” – by Marley Ghizzone

Disclosure: Edwards is employed by ILÚM Health Solutions.