Rapid AMR testing for tuberculosis: what the EIC podcast revealed and why it matters

The European Innovation Council podcast series The game changers: from radical idea to innovative business published episode 6 on 14 April 2023. The episode focuses on a new diagnostic approach from EMPE Diagnostics that is described as drastically reducing the time needed to test tuberculosis for antibiotic resistance. The conversation brings together an EIC programme manager with clinical genetics expertise and the company co-founder to discuss development, commercialisation and scaling.

Episode snapshot and participants

Why faster AMR testing for TB is important

Tuberculosis remains a major global health problem and drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis complicates treatment. Conventional methods to determine resistance can be slow. Delays in knowing whether a strain is resistant lead to inappropriate empiric treatment, worse patient outcomes and the continued spread of resistant strains. Faster diagnostics that reliably detect resistance can allow clinicians to tailor therapy sooner and support antibiotic stewardship efforts.

The innovation and financing described in the episode

The podcast describes EMPE Diagnostics as having developed a test that drastically reduces the testing time for antibiotic resistance in TB. The company has attracted joint funding from the European Innovation Council and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop, commercialise and scale the technology. The episode presents this as an example of deep tech moving from lab toward market with the backing of public and philanthropic funders.

Technical context and caveats

The podcast characterises EMPE Diagnostics technology as drastically faster at detecting TB resistance. The specific method is not fully detailed in the episode. In general, rapid AMR tests follow two broad approaches. Molecular tests detect genetic markers associated with resistance and can deliver results in hours. Rapid phenotypic tests aim to shorten culture based susceptibility testing to a few hours or days by accelerating growth detection or using surrogate biomarkers. Both approaches carry trade offs in sensitivity, specificity and scope of resistance markers covered.

Regulatory, validation and deployment challenges

Promising diagnostics face multiple non technical barriers before they affect patient outcomes at scale. These include clinical validation studies in representative settings, regulatory approvals such as CE marking in Europe and WHO prequalification for global procurement, supply chain and manufacturing scale up, training of health workers, and integration with national TB programmes and antibiotic stewardship systems.

EIC and the European innovation ecosystem context

The EIC supports deep tech through funding, coaching and visibility. Programme managers such as Iordanis Arzimanoglou work across portfolios to build strategic intelligence, catalyse partnerships and help companies navigate scale up. The EIC also seeks to leverage co investment and to connect companies to wider support services that include regulatory, business acceleration and investor networks.

Risks, unanswered questions and next steps

The episode provides a useful introduction to a potentially important diagnostic. It leaves some key questions open. Independent peer reviewed data is needed on diagnostic performance across settings. The specific technology approach and the range of drugs and resistance mechanisms detected should be transparent. The pathway to regulatory approvals, procurement by public health programmes and sustainable manufacturing needs to be made explicit. Finally, integration with clinical practice and stewardship measures will determine whether faster results change patient outcomes.

Conclusion

The EIC podcast episode offers an example of how public and philanthropic backing can accelerate a potentially high impact health innovation. Rapid AMR testing for TB is an important objective with clear benefits in theory. The real test will be in independent validation, regulatory clearance, and the practical realities of deployment in health systems that need resilient supply chains and clear stewardship pathways. Support from the EIC and foundations helps, but claims of dramatic impact require rigorous evidence and careful planning to become clinical practice.

Disclaimer: The original EIC post includes a statement that the material is for knowledge sharing and not the official view of the European Commission or other organisations. This article aims to reorganise and contextualise the information provided in that EIC podcast announcement and related EIC materials while noting outstanding evidence and implementation questions.