Aptitude Medical Systems has announced a $9m partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) to develop the Metrix Filovirus Panel.
The rapid molecular diagnostic device aims to detect and differentiate Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus species, offering results within 30 minutes from venous or fingerstick blood samples.
The platform is designed for use in both remote and traditional point-of-care settings.
The collaboration builds on Aptitude’s existing molecular diagnostics platform, Metrix, which was previously advanced through a BARDA partnership valued at up to $61.9m.
The Metrix Filovirus Panel enables low-cost, lab-quality performance in decentralised settings.
Aptitude CEO Scott Ferguson said: “This partnership underscores our commitment to combating critical infectious disease threats.
“The Metrix Filovirus Panel is designed to deliver rapid, reliable results in challenging settings, enabling timely treatment and containment of outbreaks, breaking reliance on traditional centralised models which, simply do not scale well in the face of an emergent threat.”
With the new funding, Aptitude will focus on the development, validation, and regulatory clearance of the Metrix Filovirus Panel.
The Metrix Filovirus Panel is designed for broad accessibility, crucial for early detection in decentralised settings.
It aligns with Aptitude’s mission to democratise molecular diagnostics, extending the platform’s capabilities beyond respiratory and sexually transmitted infections
By simplifying the diagnostic process and reducing costs, Aptitude aims to empower healthcare providers and public health systems to act swiftly against infectious diseases.
The project is funded by federal funds from the US Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, and BARDA.
Aptitude CTO, president and executive chairman JP Wang said: “Point-of-care diagnostics are essential for effectively addressing outbreaks of high-consequence pathogens like Ebolavirus and Marburgvirus species.
“This collaboration enables the use of blood samples on the Metrix platform, for the first time, significantly expanding the power of the platform to a wide range of applications.”
