New research provides warning for medtech sector following decline in point-of-care technologies

New research has pointed to a decline in the number of new point-of-care medtech technologies being created to diagnose infectious disease and identify pathogens and antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

Ahead of the World Health Summit in Berlin, a comprehensive study of patent filings was undertaken by Intellectual Property firm Marks & Clerk and CPA Global. The analysis has been conducted alongside Nesta as part of the Longitude Prize, designed to incentivise better point-of-care diagnostics to reduce unnecessary antibiotics prescriptions.

The study reveals a year-on-year decline in patent filings for point-of-care diagnostics to tackle infectious disease and detect pathogens and AMR through 2014 and 2015.

Following a dip in innovation as a possible result of the financial crisis of 2008, patent filings reached their highest levels for the past decade in 2014, with 118 patents for point-of-care diagnostics for infectious disease filed globally. By 2015 this figure had dropped significantly to 94 patents.

The global market for point-of-care diagnostics for infectious disease, and particularly those looking to tackle AMR, remains in its infancy. Most diagnostics are routinely done in a laboratory setting so that the introduction of a new point-of-care diagnostic requires the creation of new markets.

Much of the recent new funding in AMR has been allocated for early research into new antibiotics and so far funds to support diagnostics have been limited.

Paul Chapman, partner, Marks & Clerk and member of Longitude Prize advisory panel, said: “The role of medtech in delivering quicker and more reliable diagnoses, and the impact this can have in tackling AMR, is often underestimated. It’s encouraging therefore to see that there is a great deal of innovation in this space.

“Nevertheless, that we have seen a dip in filings over the past two years in which data is available, after seeing steady growth in the years prior, is surprising. Patent filing figures are often seen as a gauge of the health of any market, and it’s crucial that AMR remains a focus for businesses and regulators.

“In 2017 the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a list of 12 ‘priority pathogens’, which will be central to the fight against AMR. Patents filed subsequent to the publication of this list will not yet appear in the data, but the report shows there is already a good deal of activity directed at these pathogens.”

The Longitude Prize has been designed to incentivise innovation in rapid tests to reduce antibiotic resistance using Nesta’s challenge prize methodology. Currently 75 diagnostic developers from 14 countries are competing to win an £8 million prize.

Launched in 2014, the prize aims to foster innovation in globally accessible, affordable, rapid and accurate point-of-care diagnostic devices to help reduce the inappropriate prescribing of antimicrobial drugs.

Daniel Berman, lead, global health team at the Challenge Prize Centre, said: “The fact that patents on AMR diagnostics are slowing is concerning but another equally important challenge for test makers is the dearth of available grants and venture capital funding for tests that will reduce and improve the use of antibiotics.

“The report also speaks about the need to create a market for these products. It recommends that governments and aid funders ring-fence funds for purchase rapid diagnostic tests. Without reducing the unnecessary use of antibiotics through better testing, experts say it will be impossible to slow resistance and ensure the availability of antibiotics that work.”