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It is
estimated that about 1 percent of the world’s population suffer from celiac
disease, a disorder where the immune system mistakes substances found in gluten
as a threat to the body and attacks them. This causes damage to the small
intestines, disrupting the body’s ability to absorb nutrients from food. There
are several blood tests available that screen for celiac disease antibodies,
with the most commonly used being a tTG-IgA test. However, a biopsy of the
small intestine is still recommended in order to accurately diagnose the
disease.
The Barcelona-based
startup BioEclosion develop a rapid, quantitative and highly predictive
diagnostic test, called CeliFast, for celiac disease at point of care using a
drop of blood. Based on the analysis of a blood biomarker, the test has been
tested using clinical samples and has shown a sensitivity of 100 percent. The
rapid and simple nature of the test means that it could also be used to track
the progress of the disease by periodically analyzing patients, and quickly
evaluate immediate family.
The startup
aim to avoid the use of invasive procedures and specialist laboratories in order
to diagnose celiac disease. Their non-invasive technology is designed with
younger patients in mind, who might find current procedures especially
problematic. As a result, the test could significantly reduce the risk of
complications due to late diagnosis, and help patients better manage their
disease.
Celiac
disease is considered to be underdiagnosed across the globe, especially in
developing countries. Although the disease is grossly under-recognized, the
lack of appropriate technology to diagnose the disease is a major factor of why
it is underdiagnosed in low resource settings. The point of care solution by
BioEclosion could improve access to a diagnostic test, which through its simplicity
could increase celiac disease’s recognition.
BioEclosion
has through their CeliFast technology a unique opportunity to disrupt the celiac
disease diagnostics market, change current guidelines, and improve access and
health outcomes. The diagnostic test has previously won the Generating Ideas Programme at UAB, and the Valortec competition run by ACCIO, a competition that
aim to encourage Catalan researchers to develop products and services with
commercial potential. The startup is now a semi-finalist in OneStart, the world’s
largest accelerator for startups seeking to dramatically improve human health.
