Rapidemic wins $2.7M Gates grant to push forward power-free STI diagnostics
Women disproportionately bear the burden of untreated sexually transmitted infections, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.
Women disproportionately bear the burden of untreated sexually transmitted infections, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Rapidemic, a Dutch molecular diagnostics startup, has received a $2.7 million USD grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to address this gap with its ultra-rapid, power-free testing platform.
The company’s lead product, RapiDetect™ CT/NG, is being developed to detect Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae in under 15 minutes, without the need for electricity or laboratory infrastructure.
STIs affect more than 370 million people worldwide each year. For women, delayed or missed diagnoses can result in infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease, and increased vulnerability to HIV. Rapidemic’s technology is designed to bring timely, reliable diagnostics into settings where access to labs and power supplies is limited.
“This investment is a major milestone for Rapidemic and a strong endorsement of our mission,” said Violette Defourt, founder and CEO of Rapidemic.
“Our vision is to democratize molecular diagnostics by making them available anytime, anywhere, without the need for complex infrastructure. With funding support from the Gates Foundation, we can accelerate the development of RapiDetect™ CT/NG and move closer to ensuring that millions of people, particularly in low-resource settings, gain timely access to life-saving diagnostic tools.”
With the Gates funding, Rapidemic plans to optimize its ultrarapid assay for reliable DNA amplification at ambient temperature, develop scalable manufacturing processes, and prepare for clinical verification.
Founded in 2021, Rapidemic is a Dutch-Danish startup focused on developing ultrarapid, power-free diagnostic tests to expand access to care for infectious diseases.