$OPGN Under the terms of the agreement, Merck will provide access to its archive of over 200,000 bacterial pathogens gathered over the last 15 years through the Study for Monitoring Antimicrobial Resistance Trends (SMART), one of the world's largest surveillance studies of antimicrobial resistance supported by Merck in collaboration with International Health Management Associates (IHMA). OpGen will perform genomic analysis, microbiology testing for drug resistance, and incorporate this information into its Acuitas [(R)] Lighthouse Knowledgebase and the development of rapid DNA tests. This new molecular testing and informatics approach is being developed to help transform antibiotic decision making for doctors managing acute care patients with blood, respiratory, urinary tract, and soft tissue infections. In addition to identifying resistance determinants to predict antibiotic failures, the OpGen technology is being evaluated as the foundation for utilizing molecular diagnostic tests to predict pathogen susceptibility and guide patient management choices to improve patient outcomes.