Company to Advance the WAVE™ System, a Dedicated Platform for Next-Generation Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

AST Revolution, LLC (AST Revolution) today announced its official launch following the recent completion of a court-approved acquisition of select assets of Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc. (Accelerate) under the Chapter 11 process.

As part of the transaction, AST Revolution acquired the Accelerate WAVE™ and Arc™ Systems and associated intellectual property portfolio, establishing a dedicated platform to advance next-generation rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).

AST Revolution will be led by Lawrence Mertz, former Chief Technology Officer of Accelerate. AST Revolution is backed by controlling shareholder Indaba Capital Management, L.P. (Indaba Capital), a San Francisco-based investment firm founded and led by Derek Schrier, who serves as Chairman of the AST Revolution Management Committee.

AST Revolution is not affiliated with Accelerate, which is in the process of winding down.

Unlocking the Potential of the WAVE™ System

The WAVE™ System is being developed as a comprehensive solution for rapid AST and aims to deliver a universal solution for both positive blood culture and isolated colonies samples, the most comprehensive antibiotic testing menu, the fastest time-to-result, and a lab-friendly workflow.

Unlike traditional culture-based methods, which can take two to three days to return results, the fully automated WAVE™ System aims to deliver results in an average of 4.5 hours, pending 510(k) clearance, supporting timely antimicrobial decision-making.

“The WAVE™ System is highly differentiated in design, scalability and sample workflow, potentially offering the largest antibiotic testing menu with results in 4.5 hours on average,” said Chief Scientific Officer Lawrence Mertz.

Initial menu development for the WAVE™ System focuses on gram-negative pathogens, with plans to expand to isolates and broader assay coverage. In March 2025, the WAVE™ System and positive blood culture gram-negative test kit premarket notification (510(k)) was submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and is currently under review.

“We believe the WAVE™ System has the potential to become the leading solution in rapid AST, providing clinicians results in hours instead of days and aiming to play an important role in addressing the public health crisis of antimicrobial resistance. Next-generation rapid AST is widely recognized as critical to improving sepsis patient outcomes, and hospital customers are expressing a strong need for innovative solutions like the WAVE™ System, which is designed to address this gap,” said Chairman Derek Schrier.

Arc™ System – the ideal complement to MALDI-TOF systems

The Arc™ System automates the clean-up and concentration of microbial cells from positive blood culture samples, serving as a valuable complement to matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) systems. In September 2024, the Arc™ System received FDA clearance in the United States as a 510(k) IVD Class II Device for use with MALDI Biotyper® CA System (MBT-CA System).

AST Revolution – Positioned for Leadership in Rapid AST

AST Revolution will continue operations from Tucson, Arizona. With a streamlined structure, new funding from Indaba Capital, and a focus on advancing the WAVE™ and Arc™ systems, AST Revolution is well positioned to accelerate product development and clinical adoption and establish itself as the leader in rapid AST.

About AST Revolution, LLC

AST Revolution, LLC is a newly formed in vitro diagnostics company focused on developing next-generation rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing solutions that improve patient outcomes and lower healthcare costs. AST Revolution’s WAVE™ System is being developed to deliver results in an average of 4.5 hours, enabling same shift targeted antimicrobial therapy for patients with serious infections including sepsis, pending 510(k) clearance. AST Revolution’s Arc™ System automates the clean-up and concentration of microbial cells from positive blood culture samples, serving as a valuable complement to MALDI-TOF systems.

About Indaba Capital Management, L.P.

Based in San Francisco, Indaba Capital was founded in 2010 to invest in corporate equity and debt.

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