Estonian start-up SelfDiagnostics is developing a quick-test that could easily be used at home to identify sexually transmitted diseases. In the future such minilabs could become commodities avalible at a pharmacy for a couple of hundred kroons.

Executive director of SelfDiagnostics, Marko Lehes reports that a patent application has been filed and a test model is planned to be built within three years. Product development will require nearly 2 million euros.

Similar to pregnancy test

A SelfDiagnostics tester (initial design draft pictured) would resemble a pregnancy test and would diagnose herpes, syphilis, gonorrhea and hepatitis. Future developments could also include a separate test for identifying influenza.

The tester would distinguish respective disease pathogens from saliva, urine or sweat. However, it would not replace nor compete with a doctor’s diagnosis in any way. Final confirmation of the presence of a disease in the system would still be provided by the doctors.

At the moment SelfDiagnostics has the brief base-assignment of the product. Quite many technological challenges must be overcome before we could talk of a working home-lab.

Who’d want to take their own blood-samples at home?

One of the authors behind SelfDiagnostic’s idea, a researcher at the Chemistry Institute of the University of Tartu, Indrek Tulp says that even today diseases can be identified at home but those tests are far too complicated. Tulp offers an example of test-cassettes which quick-test diseases based on antibodies.

“The analysis is carried out using blood. But it’s difficult for an average person to draw his/her own blood and test it at home”, he elaborates. “They are rather meant to be used in a situation where a doctor visits the patient at home for testing”. As a commodity sold at the pharmacy the Estonians’ tester would be unique in the world.

Huge market potential

The demand for handy diagnostic options and economical medicine keeps increasing worldwide. “Surveys indicate that in a quarter from the age-group 15-24 would use such quick-tests four times annually. Because it gives a quick reply and is discreet”, Lehes says. 

Estonia and other immediate countries are perceived as the company’s pilot market, but a wider demand is seen for example in Africa.

SelfDiagnostics is a business incubator company at the Estonian Development Fund with involvement from the professor of neurochemistry from the University of Stockholm, Ülo Langel.