Innovative rapid test must curb new pandemics

Less than two years ago, the Rapidemic student team won the prestigious iGEM competition with their innovative test kit for the rapid detection of infectious diseases. The start-up is now working hard on the first prototypes. We spoke to Violette Defourt, researcher and co-founder of Rapidemic about the state of affairs. She will give a lecture about the project during the Life Science Event.

By: Dimitri Reijerman

The Rapidemic test focuses on the DNA or RNA (nucleic acids) material of the pathogen, Defourt explains: “We are working on a new detection method for nucleic acids, i.e. DNA and RNA. It is a platform technology that can theoretically detect anything containing DNA or RNA. At Rapidemic we want to use this technology to detect infectious diseases, including viral, bacterial and parasitic infections. Consider, for example, influenza and malaria.”

According to the researcher, such a test should also be usable outside the lab. Defourt: “We want to combine the advantages of reliable PCR tests with the advantages of rapid antigen tests. At Rapidemic we want to bring these together in a high-quality test kit that can also be used outside the lab.”

To make the test kit successful, Rapidemic uses various techniques, says Defourt: “We use various molecular techniques based on DNA. We apply three responses. The first is recombinase polymerase amplification, where you make many copies of DNA at room temperature. We then use special DNA primers in which a second reaction takes place. And as a final step we allow an oxidation reaction to take place in which a color change can be seen. This allows you to ultimately determine whether a pathogen is present through the color signal.”

Further development

After winning the iGEM competition, the Rapidemic team, currently consisting of four people, is busy further developing the test kits. Defourt explains the status of the project: “Our iGEM team has a scientific background and together we have developed this technology. Now we are looking for a party that can bring all this together in one kit. And the next step we want to take is testing on human material. For example, we can look for the sequences of a tuberculosis genome.”

The corona pandemic has played into Rapidemic's hands: “The corona crisis has had a positive influence on Rapidemic,” says Defourt, “because the importance of good diagnostics was fully in the spotlight. We already had the idea for our technology concept before corona arrived in the Netherlands, but good diagnostics appear to be very important. Especially now that everyone knows that it takes time, up to years, to develop vaccines.”

Cost price

But the development process of test kits like Rapidemic's is also time-consuming: “Our development process is also long. You first need to have a proof of concept. It can then take one to two years until the first prototypes are available. Then you have to work with sales channels, regulatory authorities and production chains. That can also take two years. We hope to be able to launch our first product on the market in 2025.”

She continues: “Currently we have two use cases: human respiratory viruses, for example influenza, and some tropical diseases, such as dengue or tuberculosis. For tropical diseases, there is an even greater need for tests that do not require a laboratory.”

Reducing the cost price is also a challenge for the team. The aim is to also make the kits usable in developing countries and remote areas. The development of rapid corona tests shows that a low cost price is possible, says Defourt: “The low prices for corona tests are the result of competition and enormous volumes. The development costs are extremely high and you hope to earn that back. So we think the cost price is very important.”

Rapidemic is currently working hard on further developing the concept. And the necessary hurdles still have to be overcome, the researcher concludes: “In this phase, just before the prototype phase, we mainly have R&D challenges to optimize our technology. We try to make everything as robust, sensitive and selective as these are requirements for a high-quality test. We are also still looking for partners, with people who can optimize enzymes, for example. But also parties that are good at developing hardware for diagnostic instruments (medical devices).”

Knowing more? Follow Violette Defourt's lecture during the Life Science event on April 5 in Corpus Conference Center, Leiden.