Israel-based BGN Technologies has partnered with Singaporean medical diagnostics maker Biosensorix for the development of next-generation diagnostics for point-of-care.

As part of the partnership, the firm will leverage the research performed at Israeli Ben-Gurion University (BGU), which created an electrochemical lateral flow immunosensor in the form of a smart drive that is similar to a USB.

The sensor has been designed to carry out a quantitative diagnosis of biomarkers and pathogens associated with diseases.

BGU Technologies Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren department Biotechnology Engineering professor Robert Marks said: “There are fast-acting testing kits today that can be used both in the clinic and at home to diagnose a wide range of conditions and diseases, but none of them can discern the severity of the condition or disease.

“In order to determine the severity of a disease, the patient needs to conduct a blood test at a hospital or specialised laboratory, with results taking between half to an entire day, and sometimes even longer.”

“Medical staff will be able to receive immediate results and decide on a course of action.”

Biosensorix has already developed the technology for the diagnosis of dengue hemorrhagic fever.

The firms are further advancing the sensor to assess stroke severity and identify a secondary stroke early.

They are formulating the new diagnostic kit to analyse a blood sample for specific biomarkers after an ischemic stroke.

Biosensorix CEO Dr Lukas Fajs said: “At the price range of $5 per kit, our new diagnostic kit presents a breakthrough in diagnosis.

“Medical staff will be able to receive immediate results and decide on a course of action, instead of sending the patient to the lab and waiting for the results.”