LBT Innovations is an Australian company that creates efficiencies in pathology lab processes with artificial intelligence and automation.

LBT has recently brought a new product to the market called Automated Plate Assessment System (APAS). It automates the most time-consuming part of the lab workflow, reading and sorting culture plates.

There are 2.4 billion culture plates going to labs each year. On any given day, in any given lab, thousands of samples need to be read, sorted, and analysed by a microbiologist. However, there’s a shortage of qualified microbiologists. This means labs often experience backlogs. 

Using a patent-protected algorithm, ABAS technology can read and sort results with 99% accuracy, three times faster than a highly skilled microbiologist. 

Given up to 85% of cultures are negative, APAS enables microbiologists to spend more time looking closely at the positive ones, improving results turnaround time and outcomes for patients. 

APAS has passed extensive clinical testing. It has regulatory clearances in the EU and Australia, and it’s the only technology of its kind with US FDA approval.

While end-to-end automation tools cost upwards of $2 million, APAS is for labs that need to make efficiencies in only the most time-consuming tasks. APAS sells for $USD 300,000 along with an annual licence free. As well as get ROI within 3 years, labs that invest in APAS can reduce plate processing costs by up to 40%.

LBT has already sold APAS to Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne and the largest pathology lab in Germany.

“We’ve been pioneers in this space and we’ve now delivered the only product that automates culture plate rating,” says CEO Brent Barnes.

Watch the video to hear more about LBT Innovations’ from CEO Brent Barnes.

Presented on Wednesday 27th of May at 12pm (AEST).