Gm Design Development designs a rapid test for early diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction (heart attacks)

Gm Design Development collaborated in the development of a revolutionary portable device that can perform rapid high-sensitivity medical diagnostic tests that would normally need to be sent to a laboratory for analysis.
GmDD was commissioned by Invitron www.invitron.com , a UK based biotechnology company, to help with the design, development and engineering of the new point of care (POC) instrument. The team develop both the micro-fluidic cartridge and the reader itself.
POC tests are rapid medical diagnostic tests that are designed to be carried out next to the patient, providing results much faster than conventional laboratory analysis. This enables physicians and nurses to act sooner with the potential to save lives, improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. However, more widespread use of POC testing is currently limited by the sensitivity of existing devices. Invitron’s technology uses a high-sensitivity chemiluminescent detection system that enables a low cost, portable POC device to achieve the analytical sensitivity of a laboratory analyser.
The project has been supported by Innovate UK, the UKs innovation agency, who have provided approximately £500,000 of funding to help develop a rapid test for early diagnosis of Myocardial Infarction (heart attack). MI is the number 1 cause of death globally; in the UK over 80,000 people die from MI each year and approximately 1.5 million people are living with the after effects. Rapid diagnosis of heart attack is of critical importance because early treatment can prevent or limit damage to the heart muscle and dramatically improve patient outcomes.
Andrew Woodhead, Invitron co-founder, said “This invention provides a platform that is suitable for the rapid quantitation of biomarkers when extremely high analytical sensitivity is a requirement. Invitron is honoured and delighted to have received this funding from Innovate UK in order to apply our technology in the early diagnosis of MI.
Graeme Maisey, Managing Director of Gm Design Development, said “we are delighted to be involved in this exciting project that will ultimately save lives.