Molbio Diagnostics, developer of the Truenat RT-PCR platform and a leader in the field of portable testing devices, is collaborating with SigTuple, a medtech startup in the field of AI for diagnostics, to build next generation AI enabled portable devices for many routines but critical diagnostic tests. These devices will enable testing to be performed at the point-of-care – a doctor’s chamber, a public health centre, or an emergency room of a hospital – without having to send samples to central laboratories.
Currently, most diagnostic tests happen in clinical laboratories. Worldwide, there is a push to decentralize diagnostics, and take testing closer to the patient. The aim is to reduce turnaround time for testing, reduce errors, and help in early diagnosis and initiation of correct treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic fueled an explosive growth in the development of point- of-care Covid testing devices. However, such point-of-care testing for other routine diagnostic tests, is still lagging far behind.
With an aim to bridge this gap and enable most basic tests to be performed at near patient settings, Molbio and SigTuple are joining hands to collaborate on the development of AI powered, battery operated, portable devices for many diagnostic tests in the fields of Hematology, Biochemistry, Electrochemistry and others. The testing process will be extremely simplified and will not require a trained laboratory technician to perform the tests. Accurate, laboratory-quality test results will be available to the patient within a few minutes.
The blood test market worldwide is today around $75-80 billion. With decentralization of basic testing, this market has the potential to increase by at least 2X, and the cost to the end patient to come down by at least half.
Molbio brings in its vast experience in building robust portable point-of-care testing devices, large-scale manufacturing and sales and distribution expertise into the mix. SigTuple pitches in with its proficiency in artificial intelligence and microfluidics technologies. This collaboration builds on the strengths of the two organizations to drive cutting edge technology which can make high quality diagnostics accessible to everyone.
Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Sriram Natarajan, CEO, Director and Co-Founder, Molbio Diagnostics, said, “Molbio started with the vision to democratize access to high quality diagnostics through innovative tools. Truenat, our point of care molecular platform, is already playing this role in the area of infectious diseases. However, there is still a gap in other critical areas. We are delighted to join with SigTuple in our Universal Access Mission and accelerate development of next gen devices that will not only fill this gap but also provide instant reports through Artificial Intelligence to enable immediate intervention and create a positive impact on patient and societal well-being.”
Commenting on the collaboration, Mr. Tathagato Rai Dastidar, Founder & CEO, SigTuple, said, “SigTuple started in 2015 with a singular goal – to make quality healthcare more accessible, more accurate and more affordable, with the help of AI, robotics and microfluidics. While our other products are meant for the clinical laboratories, with this new product, we will be able to push the boundaries of diagnostics much nearer to the end patient. We are truly honoured and excited to partner with Molbio, a proven leader in portable diagnostic devices, in building this product. Together, we will be able to bring this revolutionary technology into the market faster. The partnership is also a strong vote of confidence on the technological prowess of SigTuple.”
