Hardy Diagnostics and Swiss Start‑Up NEMIS Team Up to Bring Fast, On‑Site Pathogen Testing to North America

Hardy Diagnostics to distribute NEMIS on-site pathogen detection across North America

Hardy Diagnostics and Swiss company NEMIS Technologies announced a commercial partnership to bring rapid, on-site pathogen detection systems to customers in North America. The deal gives Hardy distribution rights and responsibility for sales, training and support for NEMIS’s testing platform. The companies say the system is designed for quick detection of bacteria and other pathogens at the point of need — outside of a central lab — and that early pilots are planned with food makers, clinical laboratories and environmental testing groups.

How NEMIS’s approach differs from traditional lab culture

NEMIS’s system aims to identify pathogens at the site where samples are collected instead of sending them away to a conventional laboratory. Traditional methods rely on growing microbes on plates or in broth, a process that can take days. By contrast, NEMIS describes a workflow that produces results much faster and without the same reliance on laboratory incubation.

That speed matters because it can change how firms respond. A food processor that can spot contamination in hours — rather than waiting days for culture results — can isolate the problem earlier, stop shipments, and limit recalls. For environmental monitoring, quicker signals help teams trace the source of a problem before it spreads.

It’s important to note that the companies are not claiming a total replacement of all lab tests. On-site systems focus on speed and convenience and are often used alongside traditional methods. They typically trade some of the depth of a full laboratory analysis for immediate, actionable answers at the scene.

How the partnership will work and who it will serve

Under the agreement, Hardy will handle distribution across North America and provide local sales, training and aftersales support. NEMIS will continue to develop and manufacture the detection devices and related consumables. The companies say Hardy will run pilot programs with selected customers and set up training to ensure users can operate the systems and interpret results correctly.

Target customers include food producers looking to monitor contamination on production lines, clinical labs that want rapid screening tools, and environmental testing firms monitoring water, surfaces or waste streams. The rollout will likely start with limited pilots and expand as users complete validation studies and regulatory steps. Company statements indicate a staged commercial launch supported by on-site training teams and technical documentation.

Why faster, on-site testing is gaining attention

There are practical reasons the industry is watching on-site pathogen testing. Speed is the most obvious. Faster detection reduces the time between sample collection and decision-making, which can shrink the window for contamination to spread or enter the supply chain.

On-site capability also lowers the burden on centralized labs. Many labs are stretched thin and face backlogs; shifting routine screening to field-capable systems frees lab capacity for complex cases. For food companies and public health teams, quicker detection supports faster recalls, targeted cleaning, or temporary line stoppages — actions that limit cost and reputational damage.

Another factor is logistics. Shipping samples to labs adds time and cost and raises risks of sample degradation. On-site testing avoids those steps and can be particularly valuable in remote locations or in fast-moving operational environments like processing plants or outbreak scenes.

Regulatory and validation hurdles that will shape adoption

Real-world uptake depends on rigorous validation and, in many cases, regulatory approvals. Buyers will want proof that on-site results match the accuracy and reliability of established “gold-standard” lab tests. That usually means head-to-head comparison studies, internal quality controls and documented performance across a range of sample types.

Regulatory bodies and industry auditors often require validated methods for critical decisions such as product release or public health reporting. For many users, an on-site test will first serve as a screening tool; positive or ambiguous findings will be confirmed with conventional lab tests. Demonstrating low false-negative and false-positive rates in real settings will be central to broader acceptance.

What customers can expect now

Both companies say early customers should expect structured pilots, hands-on training and support during initial deployments. Hardy’s team will oversee local implementation, while NEMIS will supply instruments and consumables. Company statements note that the partners plan to work closely with early adopters to refine workflows and validation plans.

Company-provided comments in the announcement emphasized collaboration. Hardy said it will leverage its sales and technical network to bring NEMIS systems to market, and NEMIS framed the deal as a step toward wider availability in North America. Those quotes were included in the companies’ press release announcing the partnership.

What to watch next

Short-term indicators of success will include the start of pilot programs, publication of validation study results, and initial customer testimonials. Mid-term milestones are regulatory clearances where needed and rollout beyond pilot sites into broader commercial use. Watch for data that compares on-site results with traditional lab culture across multiple sample types — that evidence will drive whether the industry treats the systems as a screening aid or a lab-grade replacement.

The deal puts a known North American distributor behind a European detection platform. That combination could speed adoption if performance and regulatory outcomes line up with the companies’ claims. But acceptance will hinge on clear validation data and the ability of operators on the ground to use the systems consistently.

Sources

• prnewswire.com