07 September 2020 | News
Australian government funding will support the commercialization of COVID-19 patient treatment and testing
Image credit: Businesswire
Innovative molecular diagnostic solution developer SpeeDx Pty. Ltd. based in Sydney has collaborated with researchers in the intensive care unit of Nepean Hospital in the Nepean Blue Mountains Regional Health District (NBMLHD) in Australia to obtain MTPConnect Biomedical Translational Bridging (BTB) project funding.
Funds will support the commercialization of respiratory virus-host response testing, which is a rapid response test that can enhance current COVID-19 treatment activities and future virus pandemic prevention.
SpeeDx are adapting the NBMLHD laboratory developed test that targets a key genetic marker that is uniquely expressed in response to respiratory virus infection, with levels of the marker correlated with disease progression.
This commercial test uses the newly acquired patented In Signia TM technology to enhance the measurement of gene expression. It will be a fast, high-throughput tool to support the risk stratification of patients with respiratory viral diseases (including COVID-19).
The Australian government’s BTB project delivered through MTPConnect is a 22.3 million Australian dollars MRFF initiative, providing up to 1 million Australian dollars of supporting funds to support the conversion of new therapeutic drugs, technologies and medical devices to proofs-of-concept to transform innovative medical ideas become a reality.