- Atomo receives a $2.44 million CRC-P industry grant from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources
- Funding will support development of an innovative rapid active syphilis test for point of care professional use and at-home self-testing
- This successful outcome reflects Atomo’s focus on sexual health tests that address both public health and consumer health demand
Atomo Diagnostics collaboration with The Burnet Institute will see the development of a rapid test for active syphilis detection on Atomo's Pascal platform
SYDNEY Australia, 23 October 2024 – Atomo is pleased to announce receiving a $2.44 million Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) grant to spearhead the development of a groundbreaking rapid test for active syphilis diagnosis. The grant award follows many months of collaboration between Atomo and the Burnet Institute on an easy-to-use solution that addresses this important unmet clinical need.
Atomo will lead the project which will be a collaborative effort, bringing together the expertise of the Burnet Institute and IDE Group. This unique test, designed for both point-of-care professional use and at-home self-testing, combines Atomo’s proven integrated Pascal cassette that works with a small finger prick blood sample and a unique syphilis antibody assay developed by the Burnet Institute. The assay distinguishes active infections from previously treated cases.
This pioneering rapid test solution will represent a first for the global market, with existing rapid syphilis tests only detecting antibodies present in both active infections and prior treated infections, and with no rapid Syphilis test currently approved for self-test use in Australia.
Syphilis is an increasingly pressing public health challenge globally, with WHO estimating that 8 million people acquired Syphilis in 2022. A recent report by the Kirby Institute indicated that rates of syphilis diagnoses in Australia have tripled over the last decade.
Australia’s Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly, stated earlier this year that “the syphilis epidemic in Australia is past a tipping point…we must act now” echoing the gravity of the situation.
This increased public health focus on sexually transmitted infections (STI’s) reflects the fact that the government estimates that ‘1 in 6 Australians will get an STI and the rates of infection are rising, particularly among young people aged 20 to 34. Early detection is essential, and regular testing is the only way to check if you have an STI’.
Atomo Diagnostics' Pascal platform's superior usability renders it ideal for a range of self-testing applications
Atomo’s CEO John Kelly said “We are delighted to be the recipients of this competitive funding from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources. It allows us to complete development efforts and accelerate the completion of a Pascal-based rapid syphilis test offering the unique ability to distinguish between active and prior treated infections in an easy-to-use format.”
In addition to the expanding use of rapid testing in public health channels, Atomo recognises the growing demand for STI testing via the consumer retail market and anticipates leveraging its existing commercial channels for the Atomo HIV Self Test. Atomo’s HIV test is currently the only home-use test approved for supply in Australia to partners such as Blooms the Chemist and is a leading test in the UK consumer market, available through Boots Pharmacies and Tesco Supermarkets.
Have an idea for a novel in-vitro diagnostic test that Atomo could help bring to life? Get in touch today to find out about our partnership pathways.
