China opens up to Aerocrine's asthma test

A handheld monitor used to measure airway inflammation using exhaled nitric oxide has gained registration for marketing and sale in China.

Developed by Swedish medical technology firm Aerocrine AB, the NIOX MINO device has been incorporated into China's national guidelines for asthma management. The new guidelines have resulted in a reimbursement code being designated for Aerocrine's method to measure airway inflammation. The code is the first big step towards doctors using NIOX MINO securing payments per test.

In December last year, NIOX, Aerocrine's larger device, was registered by the SFDA, the Chinese equivalent of the FDA. Clearance of NIOX MINOAerocrine's major product means the company's Chinese partner Bioson Inc. can now begin product sales for broad clinical use by Chinese physicians.

The newly revised Chinese National Guidelines for Asthma Treatment and Prevention state that "..exhaled nitric oxide can be used as a non-invasive marker of airway inflammation in asthma..measuring airway inflammation is helpful in choosing the best treatment scheme for asthmatic patients."

Anti-inflammatory therapy is a cornerstone of asthma treatment.

Measuring inflammation helps improve the diagnosis of patients with asthma-like symptoms, to predict and measure drug response objectively and to optimize treatment doses. By regular monitoring of airway inflammation, the management and care of Chinese asthma patients could be dramatically improved, resulting in more cost-effective treatment.

NIOX MINO's registration is very encouraging for Aerocrine and Bioson, and coincides with the 6th Chinese National Congress on Asthma held in Suzhou City, Jiangsu province, this week. China's asthma specialists are convening at the Congress to learn more about the latest developments in asthma management.

Aerocrine, based in Solna, also markets NIOX Flex and NIOX MINO.