University of Southampton spin-out iFAST Diagnostics achieves UKCA certification for rapid infection testing

A University of Southampton spin-out company co-founded by Professor Hywel Morgan, Deputy Director of the Institute for Life Sciences (IfLS), has achieved a major milestone in the development of rapid diagnostics.

iFAST Diagnostics Ltd has been awarded the UKCA mark for its iFAST ONE ultra-rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Test (AST) system. The test allows clinicians to determine the most effective antibiotics for individual patients in under three hours, compared with the current 24 to 48 hours required by standard testing methods.

This rapid turnaround has the potential to improve patient outcomes, reduce hospital stays, and support efforts to combat Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), particularly in critical conditions such as sepsis.

Clinicians in hospitals throughout Great Britain can now use data from iFAST Diagnostics to prescribe the most suitable antibiotics for individual patient infections, which could save many lives, shorten hospital stays and help the fight against AMR.

iFAST Diagnostics was established to translate pioneering research developed at the University of Southampton into a clinically deployable technology. Professor Hywel Morgan , whose research in microfluidics and bioengineering underpins the iFAST system, co-founded the company with Dr Daniel Spencer , and they both continue to play key roles in its development.

Hywel said: “Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use is essential to slow the rise in antimicrobial resistance. I am delighted that our technology has been awarded the CA mark which means that the test can now be used for clinical diagnostics in hospitals”

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