105098Low Cost Sample Preparation System for Detection of Respiratory Pathogens at Point of CareClosedFeasibility StudiesInnovate UK"SAW-Dx is developing a sample preparation system to enable immediate molecular diagnostic testing at the point of clinical care for Infectious Disease (ID). ID will cause 10M deaths/year globally by 2050\. The recent UK Government-commissioned O'Neil report on AntiMicrobial Resistance (AMR) called specifically for the use of new rapid diagnostic tests to reduce the spread of AMR. Multiplexed analysis and detection of nucleic acids are core requirements for the direct identification of specific pathogens required to initiate an informed treatment. Nucleic acid tests are notoriously challenging to perform rapidly, at the point-of-care, due to difficulties in purifying the nucleic acid biomarkers at low concentrations. SAW-Dx believes that its proprietary sample preparation technology has the potential to significantly simplify diagnostic workflows (in load-and-go systems) and thereby catalyse market growth by enabling wide access to a broad ID nucleic acid based test menu across the global ecosystem of low-complexity test settings. In particular, SAW-Dx's solution will enable testing in doctors offices, field settings and even retail pharmacies. The demand for molecular Point-of-Care technology is high, however we note significant gaps in competitive offerings and repeated market launch delays for competitive products. SAW-Dx plans, with the University of Glasgow and the NHS, to enhance precision ID management by developing its unique sample preparation technology as a front-end enabler for its own detection platform . The SAW-Dx technology will facilitate early detection and precision management, drive down healthcare cost, and reduce onward transmission risk across the ID spectrum. SAW-Dx's technology is both highly differentiated and proprietary, with several patents already issued, whilst the proposed project consortium already has a successful track record of collaboration. By the end of the project, the sample preparation system will have been demonstrated in several different types of clinical samples, and will be ready for incorporation in a formal clinical trial. The current intellectual property position will also have been further strengthened. From a corporate development perspective, SAW-Dx will also have partnered with one or more leading molecular diagnostic companies to demonstrate integration and initiate co- development options with their platform(s). The project will make a significant impact on public health by enabling rapid and precise management of ID in diverse clinical settings available to large numbers of target patients. The project cost (~£1.3M) is modest given the projected return, including 100 potential new jobs and projected annual revenue of nearly $20M by 2025\."