Swiss healthcare company Roche (SIX: RO, ROP) (OTCQX: RHHBY) announced on Tuesday that it has introduced the cobas eplex respiratory pathogen panel 3 (RP3), a new diagnostic test designed to detect a broad spectrum of viruses and bacteria that cause respiratory illness.

The new test detects up to 250 viruses and bacteria, including SARS-CoV-2, influenza, Bordetella pertussis, and RSV, in a single patient sample. It is now available in countries accepting the CE mark.

According to Roche, the cobas eplex RP3 panel provides critical support to healthcare providers during peak respiratory seasons, detecting more than 20 different viral and bacterial pathogens simultaneously. This helps clinicians quickly pinpoint the exact cause of a patient's illness, allowing them to start the right treatment sooner, implement adequate infection and transmission control measures, and, in some cases, avoid unnecessary antibiotic use and improve patient prognosis.

Josh Lauer, global head of Molecular Labs at Roche Diagnostics, said: "In respiratory care, time is everything. Knowing exactly what is making a patient sick allows clinicians to make fast, effective decisions that can save lives. We are providing hospitals with a powerful tool to manage the complexity of respiratory infections, ensuring that patients -- especially those at high risk -- get the targeted care they need without delay."