High-sensitivity, low-cost point of care testing for infection to combat antimicrobial resistance by reducing over-prescription of antibiotics

抗生素耐药性（AMR）是一种医疗保健紧急情况。据估计，它在英国造成12，000人死亡，在全球造成700，000人死亡，世界卫生组织预测，到2050年，全球每年将造成1000万人死亡，其经济影响与2008-2009年全球金融危机相同。尽管必须开抗生素来治疗严重感染，但抗生素耐药性的增长因抗生素的过度处方而加速，其中抗生素是不必要的处方，据估计，这是每年超过2000万NHS抗生素处方的至少20%，主要是在初级保健中。降钙素原，“PCT”，是诊断感染的最佳选择，与许多其他指示一般炎症的生物标志物相比。它是高度特异性的，在感染的整个生命周期内都是可检测的，只要检测提供足够的灵敏度。为了可靠地检测PCT，以用作处方抗生素的辅助手段，它必须是高度敏感的，必须是快速的，低成本的，以广泛使用。虽然POC设备已用于PCT，但它们缺乏足够的灵敏度，无法可靠地使用，并且单个测试成本高，无法广泛使用。Osler寻求通过真正的高灵敏度，低成本PCT测试盒来克服这些挑战。这将通过使用Osler的高灵敏度电化学检测技术，以及真正的低成本制造方法（包括血糖和侧流设备中使用的方法）来实现。

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR), is a healthcare emergency. It is estimated to cause 12,000 deaths in the UK and 700,000 globally, and is forecast by the WHO to cause 10 million annual deaths globally by 2050, with the same economic impact as the 2008-2009 global financial crisis.Whereas antibiotics must be prescribed to treats serious infections, the growth in antibiotic resistance is accelerated by over-prescription of antibiotics, where antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed, which is estimated to be at least 20% of more than 20 million NHS antibiotic prescriptions made each year, predominantly in primary care.Procalcitonin, 'PCT', is the optimal choice for diagnosing infections, compared to many other biomarkers which indicate general inflammation. It is highly specific and is detectable throughout the lifetime of an infection, provided testing provides sufficient sensitivity.For reliable testing of PCT to be utilised as an aid to prescribe antibiotics it must be highly-sensitive it must be rapid low-cost to be widely used. While POC devices exist for PCT, they lack sufficient sensitivity to be reliably used and have high individual test cost preventing widespread use.Osler seek to overcome these challenges with a true high-sensitivity, low-cost PCT test cartridge. This will be enabled using Osler's high-sensitivity electrochemical assay technology, coupled with genuine low-cost manufacturing methods, including from those used in blood glucose and lateral flow devices.