The objective of the ID-Lyme project is to make a novel test for the early detection of Lyme Borreliosis (LB) available to medical professionals and patients.
The aim of the ID-Lyme project is to bring a novel in vitro diagnostic (IVD) test for early diagnosis of LB to the market. The Ixodes kit is a diagnostic test based on cell-mediated immunity that detects active Borrelia infection in patients. At the end of this project, the Ixodes kit will be ready for market introduction in the EU. The test will have a large impact on public health by enabling better diagnosis of LB and as a result efficient treatment of patients. This will reduce the number of patients that develop complications in later stages of the disease. Overall, better diagnosis of LB results in improved cost-efficiency in LB-related healthcare.
Background
LB can usually be treated using cost-effective antibiotics at an early stage of disease. Unfortunately, standard laboratory testing is often unable to give a clear diagnosis whether a patient is infected or not. This can result in the true infection remaining untreated. This is a significant healthcare concern because of the disabling effects and the much costlier and more challenging treatment of progressive disease.
This project will deliver to the market the first point-of-care diagnostic test that can identify LB infections in the early stage prior to the onset of symptoms thereby improving LB management and patient health outcomes as well as reducing LB-related healthcare costs. The project will have significant impact on EU healthcare and society, as currently over 2.6 million tests are performed in the EU each year on people suspected of LB infection.
With support of the Fast Track to Innovation program by Horizon2020, a dedicated consortium of in vitro diagnostic assay developers (Innatoss Laboratories), production specialists (npk design, Diarect) and clinical experts (Medical University of Vienna) will finalize the kit design, upscale production, and test the product under real-life conditions to prepare the kit for EU-wide market introduction and implementation.
The Lyme test will result in:
- early and effective treatment of patients;
- improved quality of life of patients;
- large direct and indirect cost reductions on a EU-wide level
