Angel investors back lab-standard rapid diagnostic products

St Ives-based Fuse Diagnostics said the oversubscribed seed investment round will boost its development of a new generation of diagnostic testing products designed to deliver the performance of laboratory-based instruments in rapid, low-cost, point-of-need tests.

The products are expected to address testing needs in the industrial, food and water sectors – where eliminating pathogen contamination is crucial – as well as providing accurate point-of-need testing for clinical diagnostics and veterinary applications.

In a statement, Fuse CEO Dr Harry Lamble said: “We are bringing gold standard laboratory performance into small, low-cost, disposable tests that anyone can use – with results in under 10 minutes, thanks to our proprietary ultra-rapid amplification chemistries. The simple product format enables users to test on demand in any location – all they have to do is apply the sample and wait for the clear visual result.”

Fuse is developing two diagnostic testing platforms. Products in the Flip range will be targeted at industrial, food and water testing, as well as the bioprocessing industry and cell biology research – to test for mycoplasma contamination of mammalian cell culture, for example.