Chembio Diagnostics wins grant for new syphilis test

Chembio Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Biosynex, has received a $1.5 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The funding is intended to develop a rapid diagnostic test for congenital syphilis. The project uses Chembio’s Dual Path Platform (DPP) technology.

The test aims to identify treponemal and non-treponemal IgM and IgA antibodies in newborns. Currently, the diagnosis of congenital syphilis is complex due to the presence of maternal antibodies. The test developed by Chembio could provide results in less than 20 minutes with only 10 µl of capillary blood.

In 2022, WHO estimated the number of cases of congenital syphilis at 700,000, causing serious health consequences. Support from the Gates Foundation could help reduce maternal-fetal transmission of syphilis.