Symcel, Stockholm, Sweden, has secured funding to prepare the company for the planned commercialization of its CalScreener technology. The €50,000 Horizon 2020 Phase I grant will fund a full feasibility study.

The calorimetry-based diagnostic tool aims to carry out antimicrobial susceptibility testing in key clinical fields, including biofilm infection. Symcel’s technology provides clinicians with fast and accurate tests that determine whether an antibiotic should be administered to the patient, the type of antibiotic to utilize, and the choice of therapy to apply.

Magnus Jannsson, Symcel.

Magnus Jannsson, Symcel.

“Key industry benefits of CalScreener include the fact that it is a high-sensitivity, easy-to-use calorimeter that ensures the fast delivery of reliable information on the type of bacteria involved in infections, enabling a quick choice of individualized patient therapy for hard to diagnose infections,” says Magnus Jannsson, chief scientific officer at Symcel. “Consequently, once fully commercialized, we believe that our technology is set to have a transformational impact within the healthcare sector.”

The feasibility study, which forms Phase I of the Bacterial Analysis and Diagnostics through Growth and Energy in Real-time (BADGER) project, comprises a comprehensive strategic review of Symcel, business model visioning, and the development of an effective business plan.

“We are delighted to have been awarded this Phase I Horizon 2020 grant and look forward to creating the business plan that will guide our upcoming validation and exploitation efforts,” says Christer Wallin, CEO of Symcel. “By validating and commercializing CalScreener as a diagnostics tool, the BADGER project will make an important contribution towards fighting antimicrobial resistance in Europe, while increasing the level of antibiotic stewardship.”

For more information, visit Symcel.