The University of Liverpool has formed a new spin-out company, PhenUtest Diagnostics Ltd, to take forward state-of-the-art medical device technology that aims to revolutionise the diagnosis of urinary tract infections (UTIs).
Every year, over 100 million people are diagnosed with UTIs, with the infections responsible for more than 22% of the UK’s antibiotic prescriptions. The current UTI testing procedure involves samples being sent to a laboratory, taking up to 72 hours for results to come back.
PhenUtest is commercialising technology created at the university, enabling a 30-minute time from sample to diagnosis for antimicrobial susceptibility test for UTI-suspected samples. The new diagnostic tests are rapid, accurate and a more cost-effective way to diagnose UTIs. This will not only save health services millions of pounds but will also reduce the growth of antimicrobial-resistance.
Annually, more than 50,000 people die from AMR infections in Europe and the US.
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