High-sensitivity, low-cost point of care testing for infection to combat antimicrobial resistance by reducing over-prescription of antibiotics

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a healthcare emergency. It is estimated to cause 12,000 deaths in the UK and 700,000 globally, and is forecast by the WHO to cause 10 million annual deaths globally by 2050, with the same economic impact as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.

Whereas antibiotics must be prescribed to treats serious infections, the growth in antibiotic resistance is accelerated by over-prescription of antibiotics, where antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed, which is estimated to be at least 20% of more than 20 million NHS antibiotic prescriptions made each year, predominantly in primary care.

Procalcitonin, 'PCT', is the optimal choice for diagnosing infections, compared to many other biomarkers which indicate general inflammation. It is highly specific and is detectable throughout the lifetime of an infection, provided testing provides sufficient sensitivity.

For reliable testing of PCT to be utilised as an aid to prescribe antibiotics it must be highly-sensitive it must be rapid low-cost to be widely used. While POC devices exist for PCT, they lack sufficient sensitivity to be reliably used and have high individual test cost preventing widespread use.

Osler seek to overcome these challenges with a true high-sensitivity, low-cost PCT test cartridge. This will be enabled using Osler's high-sensitivity electrochemical assay technology, coupled with genuine low-cost manufacturing methods, including from those used in blood glucose and lateral flow devices.