And the winner of the £8m Longitude Prize on AMR is...

Following a decade of developments, and entries from more than 250 teams around the world, Challenge Works is proud to announce that the £8m Longitude Prize on AMR has been won by the PA-100 AST System from Sysmex Astrego.

The Longitude Prize on AMR launched in 2014 – funded by Nesta – to incentivise the creation of new diagnostic tests that, in a matter of minutes, can identify whether an infection is bacterial, and if so, the right antibiotic to prescribe to slow the spread of antibiotic resistant infections which kill more than a million people every year. 

The goal is to replace the 2-3 day lab test process that doctors and patients must currently endure, and end “just in case” prescribing that is prevalent as a result which promotes the development of antibiotic resistance.

The PA-100 AST System is an innovative diagnostic test based on technology from Uppsala University. The test will transform the treatment of urinary tract infections and brings the power of laboratory testing into a doctor’s office. 

Using a 400 microlitre sample of urine on a smartphone-sized cartridge, the test can identify the presence of a bacterial infection in just 15 minutes and accurately identify the right antibiotic to treat it within 45 minutes. 

This supports doctors and health workers in their clinical decision making at the point-of-care and opens up the significant possibility of previously “retired” first-line antibiotics coming back into use for the majority of patients.

Challenge Works launched the Longitude Prize on AMR to create the urgent ‘pull’ needed to get innovators working on one of the biggest life-and-death challenges facing humanity. Hundreds of teams competed, with multiple solutions now close to market thanks to the prize. 

The success of the Longitude Prize on AMR opens the door for many more prizes to tackle massive global challenges. When there is a challenge of gargantuan proportions in desperate need of real-world solutions, prizes attract the brightest minds to solve the problem and leave a legacy of successful, growing businesses in their wake.