Cambridge-based company pioneers radical new Covid-19 test using anal Swab

DiagNodus Ltd, a Cambridge biomedical firm, has been awarded a prestigious grant by Innovate UK to enable it to develop a new test for Covid-19 using anal swipes. DiagNodus believes its new test will be more accurate than the current model, which relies on material being taken from the nose or throat.

Dr. Alex Loktionov (CEO and Scientific Director of DiagNodus) commented: “Recent peer-reviewed studies (https://doi.org/10.1053/j.gastro.2020.03.065) have shown that the virus remains in the bowel for longer than it does elsewhere in the body. If we can develop a test to detect the virus in bowel material, it will be possible to trace the disease in patients who may otherwise have tested negative but are actually carriers of Covid-19. This can protect medical professionals performing gastrointestinal or colorectal procedures from infection. Innovate UK will be supporting us in this endeavor.“.

The latest funding boost is the latest positive development for DiagNodus. This article was published earlier. month, the company’s research on collecting bowel samples was featured in the British JOurnal of Cancer, one of the world’s top medical publications (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41416-020-0893-8). The company has also established a strategic partnership with St. George’s Hospital, A leading London NHS trust was strengthened with a new director who will be responsible for commercializing its products and attracting investment. DiagNodus will announce an important fundraising round in the next few weeks.

For more information on DiagNodus, please see http://www.diagnodus.com/ or follow @Diagnodus on Twitter.