Leiden based start-up Okos Diagnostics and Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) joined forces related to the introduction of an environmentally friendly, point-of-care test for application to diagnosis of leprosy.
Okos, founded in 2022, developed and patented a biodegradable housing/cassette for diagnostic test kits, or lateral flow assays (LFA). Driven by the Covid-19 pandemic the production and use of LFA technology has increased substantially. It is expected that the market value of LFAs will reach 22.7 billion euro in 2027, coming from 6 billion before the pandemic. However, each LFA kit consists of approximately 10 grams of non-recyclable plastic. The components of a test kit are typically made from polypropylene which is made from fossil feedstock. After single use, these products are discarded and processed via general waste processing which typically means that they are incinerated forming CO2. In countries without proper waste infrastructure these products contribute directly to the pollution of soils, rivers and oceans. Therefore, in 2023, Okos introduced the first eco-friendly housing for LFA’s, a biodegradable alternative showing a significant reduction in carbon footprint.
The LUMC is a university hospital, affiliated with the Leiden University, that combines patient care, education and innovative research. In a collaboration of 15 years between Prof. Dr. Annemieke Geluk (Leiden University Center of Infectious Diseases) and Dr. Ir. Paul Corstjens (Dept of Cell and Chemical Biology) diagnostic tests for amongst others poverty-associated infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and leprosy. Recently, they introduced the first point-of-care test for leprosy diagnostics. This easy-to-use, low cost quantitative rapid test detects IgM antibodies against Mycobacterium leprae, the causative pathogen of leprosy. These antibody levels indicate past or present infection and correlate strongly with the bacterial load in an infected individual. The test (PGL-I QURapid) can amongst others be used to monitor seroprevalence in population and as such provide a globally-applicable tool to assess transmission rates in endemic areas.
The LUMC and Okos recently produced the first batch of the PGL-I QU Rapid that will be implemented in field studies in LMIC such as Bangladesh, Brazil, Indonesia and Madagascar. This is the first time a point-of-care test with a sustainable twist will be used in a real-life setting. Recently, an article pubslished in SciDev highlighted the need for eco-friendly diagnostic products in countries with the greatest burden of plastic waste. Experts say that a global push is needed in order to accomplish a successful implementation of eco-friendly tests in developing countries.
Let’s hope that this Dutch activity will inspire other stakeholders in diagnostics to prioritize sustainability.
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