Mobidiag secures €25m loan from EIB

Molecular diagnostics that can more rapidly identify microbial pathogens and antibiotic resistance than culture-based methods are a pillar of the One-health approach in the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) promoted by the WHO. In April the BEAM Alliance, the association of SMEs fighting AMR, expanded its scope to also cover the interests of diagnostics SMEs.

A range of companies have developed DNA-rapid tests that help identify the pathogen and which help doctors to exclude certain antibiotics from treatment. Several diagnostics companies and drug developers in the AMR field have used debt financing by the EIB for commercialisation of their platforms.

Receiving its second EIB debt financing since 2016, Mobidiag said it will use the new four-year loan for R&D and validation and commercialisation of new molecular diagnostics tests running on the company’s Amplidiag^® and Novodiag^® platforms. In 2016, the company received an ÈIB €15m loan, the final tranche of which was obtained in November 2018. This first debt financing enabled Mobidiag to develop, validate and subsequently launch its  ‘sample-in, result-out’ diagnostic solution.

Novodiag^® allows automated detection of infectious diseases pathogens  such as C. difficile or enteric bacteria as well as antibiotic resistances i.e. against carbapenemases and colistin resistance. Combining real-time PCR and microarray technologies, Novodiag allows direct analysis of a patient sample placed in a disposable cartridge for comprehensive screening of multiple or single pathogens within approximately 60 minutes. The platform offers an on-demand automated solution suitable for small laboratories, decentralised units as well as emergency units and larger laboratories thanks to key benefits such as low hands-on time, ease of use, random access and reliable result.

Amplidiag^® is a range of diagnostic tests for mid- to high-volume screening of gastrointestinal pathogens such as H. pylori, enteric pathogenic bacteria and viruses as well as antibiotic resistances in stool samples. The Amplidiag® Easy instrument automates the nucleic acid extraction and PCR plate setup for all Amplidiag® products.

Tuomas Tenkanen, CEO of Mobidiag, said: "Following extensive R&D and clinical validation, we are proud that our state-of-the-art technology is now commercially available internationally. This loan will allow us to accelerate the development of the Mobidiag platform content to the next level.