13 May 2003

UK breakthrough will revolutionise TB testing worldwide

The world's first instant 'breathalyser' test for TB - which does away with the need for blood samples or medical professionals at the point of testing - will soon be available thanks to Cambridge company RBS Ltd., which has won over £100,000 of government funding to develop its unique concept. The new test will be licensed to major healthcare companies later this year, and will be used to meet mass-screening demands around the world.

'This is an enormous step forward in the fight against TB,' says co-founder and CEO Dennis Camilleri. 'TB is the single largest killer disease, killing some 2 million people every year, and the WHO has declared its effects a global emergency. Our screening equipment tests exhaled material rather than blood, so it can be used in any situation by anyone with a minimum amount of training. It is a small, robust piece of kit, which uses an optical reader to show immediate results, in a presentation that does not need professional interpretation.'

The RBS concept - which brings together proven technologies in a unique, patented combination - is ideal for use in developing countries, as it can be marketed for around one third of the cost of the current most commonly used tests. A further advantage is that there is no risk of cross-infection, because there is no need for invasive procedures.The sample tube is completely sealed and then destroyed after the test.

The next stage for RBS, now that it has secured government SMART awards totalling £118,000 and funding from private investors, will be mass testing in a variety of institutions, including an Indian TB hospital. The World Health Organisation has shown considerable interest in RBS's technology. At the same time the company is already in negotiation with a number of global health businesses with the capability to bring it to market within a year.

'We will then pursue further development of the concept, such that it can be applied to testing other infectious diseases, and also food and environmental contamination,' says Dennis Camilleri.