Rapid, Multiplexed Point-Of-Care Molecular Detection of Respiratory Pathogens without
Sample prep
CrossLife Technologies, Inc. & University of Washington
RESEARCH & RELATED Other Project Information
7. Project Summary
Respiratory infections are one of the most common reasons for doctor visits and the most
common illness resulting in missed work or school. Respiratory infections are caused by viruses
or bacteria. Acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus
are responsible for 4.25 million deaths worldwide each year [1-2]. Acute respiratory infections
are world’s third leading cause of death worldwide mostly in the developing world where
resources are limited, and labs or expensive instruments in labs are not available [3]. Rapid
low-cost tests for pathogens that cause respiratory infections are needed for situations where
a lab or transport to a lab is not available, especially in the resource limited settings of the
developing world where the burden of acute respiratory infections is the highest.
We aim to develop a rapid point-of-test that detects 21 respiratory pathogens (viruses and
bacteria) and is appropriate for non-laboratory settings and non-technical personnel. Our
proprietary test exploits a novel probe reaction chemistry that allows multiplexed
detection of DNA or RNA without sample purification, making it operable as a simple, hand-
held test. Patient samples to be input directly into the device without pre-processing and
a disposable cartridge carries out amplification of all targets and reports visual results that
can be read by eye or a low-cost imager. The key goals of the project are to 1) develop a
prototype device that can detect up to 21 respiratory pathogens and to 2) validate it using
clinical samples.
Availability of rapid-turnaround respiratory pathogen testing will allow infected patients to be
isolated with infection control and/or treated in real time without loss to follow up, which could
avoid costs for hospital stays ($2,000 a day), enable better outcome, and contribute reduced
antibiotic resistance. Finally, the TARAPlex test will be less expensive ($100 in the U.S.) than
BioFire multiplexed PCR ($1,200 per test).
