Rapid antibiotic tests win prestigious award

Pioneering rapid tests have been recognised with a national prize.

iFAST Diagnostics is developing rapid blood and urine tests. These can determine which antibiotics will work for treating a bacterial infection in hours rather than days.

The spinout company has won the Institute of Physics' (IoP) Lee Lucas Award. This recognises early-stage companies taking innovative products into the medical and healthcare sector.

Professor Hywel Morgan is the company’s Chief Technology Officer. He co-founded iFAST Diagnostics in 2022 with Dr Toby King and Dr Dan Spencer.

His work forms part of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre’s microbiology, immunology and infection theme.

Tackling antimicrobial resistance

Antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to health worldwide. It sees bacteria evolve defences against the antibiotics used to kill them. This makes the infections they cause extremely difficult to treat.

Reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics is key to tackling its rise. However, current methods take two to three days to find out which antibiotics can be used to treat a bacterial infection.

During this time, the patient may be prescribed an antibiotic that doesn’t work, or broad-spectrum antibiotics that target many types of bacteria. This helps to fuel antibiotic resistance.

The rapid antimicrobial susceptibility test developed by iFAST Diagnostics can give results in three to four hours. This would allow patients to be prescribed the right antibiotic straight away.

Award-winning innovation

This winter's IOP Lee Lucas Award winner receives £5,000 prize money and a trophy. They are also invited to exhibit their innovation at the annual IOP Business Awards Parliamentary Reception.

In addition, they will have access to a range of IOP networking opportunities and events.

Professor Morgan, Professor of Bioelectronics at the University of Southampton, said:

"Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use is essential to slow the rise in antimicrobial resistance. I am delighted that this new technique we pioneered in Southampton has been recognised on the national stage. The iFAST Diagnostics system will launch early this year."