A new rapid test that can detect serious infections, like sepsis, and other inflammatory conditions in just ten minutes has been launched by Cardiff University researchers.
Developed by academics from the University's School of Medicine in collaboration with biotech company JRBiomedical, the new test – called sTLR2 rapid – will significantly reduce the length of time patients wait for a diagnosis, from some six hours with the current testing method, to just minutes.
The test is based on the team's discovery of a molecule termed sTLR2 (soluble Toll-like receptor 2).
They found that sTLR2 is rapidly released at high levels in plasma and other biological fluids by cells of our immune system as part of anti-inflammatory processes.
Since the discovery of sTLR2, more studies worldwide have looked at how measuring sTLR2 in fluids like blood or saliva could help predict or diagnose infections and a wide range of other inflammatory diseases - not just in humans, but in animals too.
The Cardiff team's novel test uses sTLR2 as an early biomarker to help clinicians diagnose serious infectious illnesses, including sepsis, as well as to monitor the patient's response to treatment.
A short turnaround time for diagnostic tests for serious infections is vital in patient care - to ensure that infections are quickly and accurately diagnosed and treated.
"Current testing using the ELISA method would take at least 6 hours, but our new, sensitive, specific, low-cost and simple method provides answers within 10 minutes," added Dr Mario Labéta.
This new clinically certified test has the potential to help clinical teams accurately identify serious infections - such as sepsis, which is responsible for over 45,000 deaths each year in the UK - and improve patient management.
Dr John Rees, the head of JR Biomedical, said: "The sTLR2 RAPID test was officially launched on the Welsh Government stand at BIO2025 in Boston this June, receiving interest from delegates around the world, particularly from companies in the biotech industry looking for innovative products to add to their portfolio."
The research was conducted in collaboration with a UK biotech company, JRBiomedical (Glyndwr University, Wales), and funded by the ACCELERATE programme of Cardiff University.
