Sexually transmitted infections are a major public health problem in both resource-rich and limited settings. They are on the rise globally. Diseases like syphilis that were thought to be in decline are making a comeback. Globally every year, there are an estimated 357 million new infections with 1 of 4 STIs: chlamydia (131 million), gonorrhoea (78 million), syphilis (5.6 million) and trichomoniasis (143 million). In addition, there are STIs caused by viruses such as HIV, HPV and HSV which are not curable. Bacterial STIs can be treated with antimicrobials but rise in multi drug resistance is of serious concern. Currently there are single tests for each disease, with some tests combining 2-3 STIs, most of which target chlamydia and gonococci only. Currently, there are no diagnostic tests in the market that can determine drug resistance.

We are developing an in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test, to diagnose STIs directly from patient samples. It is designed to detect 13 pathogens in a single test along with all known markers of resistance. This is meant to give the doctor all information required to choose the optimal antibiotic therapy. It is a novel end-to-end solution aimed at being implemented in the diagnostic labs.