For the first time, HIV patients in developing countries will have access to an affordable diagnostic test to determine if they should start life-saving antiretroviral drugs.
The Burnet Institute in Melbourne has announced a licensing agreement with Omega Diagnostics Group PLC, a global diagnostics organization, to commercialize the point-of-care CD4 test for use worldwide, including aid agencies delivering frontline health services.
Omega has manufactured a first small-scale batch of prototype devices but reports there is still further work to do in terms of manufacturing scale-up and field trial evaluations before the first commercial sale of product. The company will host the commercial launch of the POC CD4 test at the 19th International AIDS Conference, AIDS 2012, to be held in Washington DC from 22-27 July.
Burnet Institute deputy director, associate professor David Anderson developed the low-cost test along with co-head of Burnet’s Centre for Virology Professor Suzanne Crowe AM.
"According to UNAIDS, there are 15 million people who should be getting access to antiretroviral therapy but aren’t, just because they can’t get access to an affordable CD4 test in their communities," Anderson said.
The CD4 test uses a small amount of blood from a finger-prick with results available after 40 minutes at a cost significantly less than the existing tests.
Source: Burnet Institute
