Enigma Diagnostics Announces An Award Of GBP 1.8 Million From UK Government

Main Category: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Also Included In: Genetics;  Infectious Diseases / Bacteria / Viruses;  Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 18 Sep 2008 - 13:00 PDT

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Enigma Diagnostics, the decentralised and point-of-care molecular diagnostics Company, announces that it has been awarded a grant of GBP1.8M from the UK Government's Technology Strategy Board under the "Technologies for Health" programme.

The objective of the programme is to develop a "gold-standard" portable, rapid, automated DNA analysis (PRADA) molecular test system for the diagnosis of infectious diseases in decentralised and point-of-care settings such as GP surgeries. The focus of the programme will be on sexually transmitted diseases including Chlamydia and healthcare associated infections including MRSA.

The PRADA system development will be led by Enigma Diagnostics and based upon its proprietary technology. Researchers at the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections at Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent University, will develop and validate real-time molecular assays for the platform.

Point-of-care molecular tests for critical infectious diseases are a significant unmet clinical need. Chlamydia is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the developed world. Most people with Chlamydia have no symptoms and many are unaware that they have the infection. If left untreated, Chlamydia can lead to long term health problems, such as infertility and pelvic inflammatory disease. Rapid systems for point-of-care testing will enable healthcare professionals to accurately diagnose Chlamydia and treat it immediately, removing the need to track down patients days or weeks later.

MRSA is a significant public health problem and rapid point-of-care testing is essential for effective patient management. The NHS is introducing MRSA screening for patients admitted to hospitals in order to help reduce severe infections. The new PRADA system will allow rapid testing for emergency and out of hour's admissions, allowing doctors to make quick decisions about how their patients are managed while effectively reducing healthcare costs.

John McKinley, Chairman of Enigma Diagnostics, said: "We are delighted to have received such substantial funding to support this project and to be working with two leading UK clinical partners. We are committed to delivering rapid, cost effective diagnostic systems that will substantially improve patient care and help eliminate the spread of infectious diseases."

About Enigma Diagnostics

Enigma Diagnostics Limited is a private UK based company specialising in developing the next generation of rapid molecular diagnostic instrument platforms for decentralised and point-of-care settings.

Enigma's innovative and proprietary technology combines the speed and sensitivity of real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) with the simplicity needed for field-based, decentralised and point-of-care tests providing results from a raw sample in less than 45 minutes.

The Company is targeting a number of multi-billion pound markets, core among which are the Clinical and high value Applied Markets. Enigma's commercialisation strategy is to maximise revenues from a continuous flow of market leading rapid diagnostic point-of-care and in-field instrument and assay platforms, derived from its broad Intellectual Property portfolio of issued and filed patents. Enigma will partner with market leaders where global penetration of markets is required and where appropriate will build an in-house sales and marketing capability to direct distribution of its products.

Enigma has an exclusive licence from the Defence Science Technology Laboratory to a portfolio of patents which represent over 15 years of UK Ministry of Defence funded research and has licences from Applied Biosystems and Celera Licences for the commercialisation of real-time PCR instruments. Enigma's R&D activities have generated a portfolio of over 50 plus worldwide patent families dedicated to real-time PCR and wider molecular technologies. Many of these patents are granted across a range of core commercial territories including US, EU and Japan with more extensive filing and grants across a number of other key territories.

Enigma Diagnostics