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The BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE Respiratory/Sore Throat (R/ST) Panel Mini is an automated multiplexed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test intended for use with the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE System for the simultaneous, qualitative detection and identification of multiple respiratory viral and bacterial nucleic acids in nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) or anterior nasal swab (ANS) specimens obtained from individuals with signs and symptoms of respiratory tract infection, including COVID-19; (Respiratory menu) or in throat swab (TS) specimens from individuals with signs and symptoms of pharyngitis; (Sore Throat menu).

The following analytes are identified and differentiated using the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini:

Respiratory Menu
Viruses

• Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2
• Human rhinovirus
• Influenza A virus
• Influenza B virus
• Respiratory syncytial virus

Sore Throat Menu
Viruses

• Human rhinovirus
• Influenza A virus
• Influenza B virus
• Respiratory syncytial virus

Bacteria

• Streptococcus pyogenes (group A Strep)

Nucleic acids from the viral and bacterial organisms identified by this test are generally detectable in NPS/ANS/TS specimens during the acute phase of infection. The detection and identification of specific viral and bacterial nucleic acids from individuals exhibiting signs and symptoms of respiratory infection and/or pharyngitis is indicative of the presence of the identified microorganism and aids in diagnosis if used in conjunction with other clinical and epidemiological information, and laboratory findings. The results of this test should not be used as the sole basis for diagnosis, treatment, or other patient management decisions.

Negative results in the setting of a respiratory illness and/or pharyngitis may be due to infection with pathogens that are not detected by this test, or a respiratory tract infection that may not be detected by an NPS, ANS, or TS specimen. Positive results do not rule out co-infection with other organisms. The agent(s) detected by the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini may not be the definite cause of disease.

Additional laboratory testing (e.g., bacterial and viral culture, immunofluorescence, and radiography) may be necessary when evaluating a patient with possible respiratory tract infection and/or pharyngitis.

The BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini (SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini) simultaneously identifies 5 different respiratory viral pathogens in nasopharyngeal swabs (NPS) or anterior nasal swabs (ANS), or 5 different viral and bacterial pharyngitis pathogens in throat swabs (TS) from individuals with signs and symptoms of respiratory tract infections or pharyngitis, respectively, (see Table 1). The SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini is compatible with the BIOFIRE® SPOTFIRE® System, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based in vitro diagnostic system for infectious disease testing. The BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE System Software executes the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini test and interprets and reports the test results. The SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini was designed to be used in CLIA-waived environments.

A test is initiated by loading Hydration Solution into the hydration solution injection port of the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini pouch and NPS, ANS, or TS specimen, mixed with the provided Sample Buffer, into the other sample injection port of the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini pouch and placing it in the SPOTFIRE System. The pouch contains all the reagents required for specimen testing and analysis in a freeze-dried format; the addition of Hydration Solution and Sample/Buffer Mix rehydrates the reagents. After the pouch is prepared, the SPOTFIRE System Software guides the user through the steps of placing the pouch into the instrument, scanning the pouch barcode, entering the sample identification, and initiating the run.

Nucleic acid extraction occurs within the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini pouch using mechanical and chemical lysis followed by purification using standard magnetic bead technology. After extracting and purifying nucleic acids from the unprocessed sample, the SPOTFIRE System performs a nested multiplex PCR that is executed in two stages. During the first stage, the SPOTFIRE System performs a single, large volume, highly multiplexed reverse transcription PCR (rt-PCR) reaction. The products from first stage PCR are then diluted and combined with a fresh, primer-free master mix and a fluorescent double-stranded DNA binding dye (LC Green® Plus, BioFire Diagnostics). The solution is then distributed to each well of the array. Array wells contain sets of primers designed specifically to amplify sequences internal to the PCR products generated during the first stage PCR reaction. The 2nd stage PCR, or nested PCR, is performed in singleplex fashion in each well of the array. At the conclusion of the 2nd stage PCR, the array is interrogated by melt curve analysis for the detection of signature amplicons denoting the presence of specific targets. A digital camera placed in front of the 2nd stage PCR captures fluorescent images of the PCR reactions and software interprets the data.

The SPOTFIRE System Software automatically interprets the results of each DNA melt curve analysis and combines the data with the results of the internal pouch controls to provide a test result for each organism on the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini.

The FDA 510(k) clearance letter details the acceptance criteria and study that proves the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE Respiratory/Sore Throat Panel Mini meets these criteria, specifically for the addition of Anterior Nasal Swabs (ANS) as a sample type for the Respiratory Menu.

Here's the breakdown:

1. Table of Acceptance Criteria and Reported Device Performance

The acceptance criteria are implicitly defined by the reported performance metrics (Positive Percent Agreement - PPA and Negative Percent Agreement - NPA) in the clinical study. The device is deemed to meet these criteria if the lower bound of the 95% Confidence Interval (95% CI) for PPA and NPA is above acceptable thresholds (though specific numerical thresholds for "acceptable" are not explicitly stated as separate criteria, the observed high performance and clearance imply they were met).

Archived Specimen Performance for Influenza B virus:

2. Sample Size Used for the Test Set and Data Provenance

• Test Set Sample Size:
  • Clinical Performance (Prospective Study): 797 specimens (out of 820 initially enrolled, 23 excluded).
  • Archived Specimen Testing: 241 specimens for Influenza B virus (35 positive, 206 negative).
• Data Provenance:
  • Country of Origin: US (prospective multi-center study at five geographically distinct urgent care or emergency department study sites).
  • Retrospective/Prospective: The study was primarily prospective, conducted from March 2024 to February 2025. This was supplemented with archived specimens for Influenza B due to low prevalence in the prospective study.

3. Number of Experts Used to Establish the Ground Truth for the Test Set and Qualifications of Those Experts

The document does not explicitly state the number or qualifications of experts used to establish the ground truth. It states that the performance was evaluated by comparing the test results with those from a "commercially available FDA-cleared multiplexed respiratory pathogen panel." This suggests that the ground truth was established by the results of this comparator method, which themselves would have been validated. No human expert interpretation of the comparator method is described.

4. Adjudication Method for the Test Set

The document mentions "Investigations of discrepant results are summarized in the footnotes." These footnotes indicate that for discrepant cases (e.g., false positives, false negatives), "additional molecular methods" were used to re-test the specimens. This implies a form of post-hoc adjudication using a more definitive or orthogonal molecular method to resolve discrepancies between the SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini and the initial comparator.

5. If a Multi-Reader Multi-Case (MRMC) Comparative Effectiveness Study Was Done

No. This study is for a diagnostic PCR test, not an AI-assisted imaging or interpretation device. Therefore, an MRMC study and analysis of human reader improvement with AI assistance are not applicable.

6. If a Standalone (i.e., Algorithm Only Without Human-in-the-Loop Performance) Was Done

Yes. The study evaluates the performance of the BIOFIRE SPOTFIRE R/ST Panel Mini as a standalone diagnostic device. The results are automatically interpreted and reported by the system software, with no human interpretation step in the primary analysis flow. The study compares the device's output directly to the comparator method.

7. The Type of Ground Truth Used

The primary ground truth was established by a commercially available FDA-cleared multiplexed respiratory pathogen panel. For discrepant results, "additional molecular methods" were used for confirmatory testing, indicating a molecular gold standard approach.

8. The Sample Size for the Training Set

The document does not provide details about a training set size. This notice is a 510(k) clearance for a PCR-based in vitro diagnostic test, not a machine learning or AI algorithm in the traditional sense that requires distinct training and test sets in the same manner. The "test set" described is the clinical validation cohort for demonstrating performance. PCR assays are generally developed and optimized through laboratory analytical studies, not typically "trained" on large datasets in the way an AI model would be.

9. How the Ground Truth for the Training Set Was Established

As noted above, the concept of a "training set ground truth" is not applicable in this context, as the device is a PCR assay. The development and optimization of such assays involve different molecular and analytical validation processes to ensure specificity and sensitivity.

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