Rapid UTI test that cuts detection time to 45 minutes awarded Longitude prize

A £8m prize has been awarded to a test that can identify how to treat a urinary tract infection in 45 minutes, potentially leading to a “sea change” in antibiotic use. The Longitude prize on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was established in 2014 to incentivise a cost-effective, accurate, rapid, and easy-to-use test for bacterial infections. The winning Sysmex Astrego’s PA-100 AST system, based on technology from Uppsala University in Sweden, can spot bacterial infections within 15 minutes and identify the antibiotic to treat them within 45 minutes. The prize aims to help health professionals administer the right antibiotics at the right time to combat AMR, which is a growing concern worldwide.