(RTTNews) - T2 Biosystems, Inc. (TTOO) Monday said it has reached a multi-year exclusive U.S. agreement with Cardinal Health (CAH) to sell its FDA-cleared direct-from-blood diagnostics for the rapid detection of sepsis-causing pathogens, including the T2Dx Instrument, the T2Bacteria Panel, and the T2Candida Panel.

"We are thrilled to have entered into a distribution agreement with Cardinal Health that will make them the exclusive distributor of our FDA-cleared direct-from-blood diagnostics in the United States which will dramatically increase our representation with hospital customers who are eager to add culture-independent diagnostics to strengthen their sepsis clinical care," stated John Sperzel, Chairman and CEO of T2 Biosystems.

"We expect this collaboration to greatly expand our access to the U.S. hospital market as Cardinal Health has an extensive commercial and distribution infrastructure that includes capital equipment specialists who will sell the T2Dx Instrument."

Despite the widespread use of blood culture-based diagnostics to detect sepsis-causing pathogens and antibiotic susceptibility, sepsis remains the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals and claims the lives of approximately 350,000 Americans annually.1 Sepsis also represents the leading cost of U.S. hospitalization, costing our healthcare system an estimated $62 billion annually.

Lastly, sepsis is the leading cause of 30-day hospital readmission in the U.S., with 19% of sepsis survivors re-hospitalized within 30 days and 40% within 90 days, which underscores the need for advanced technologies in sepsis detection.