Project description
Easy and affordable Rhesus disease test
In the developed world, Rhesus disease (RhD, also known as haemolytic disease of the foetus and newborn) is considered extinct. This is not so in developing countries, where it continues to cause severe health issues and even death. Even though deaths can be prevented by screening pregnant women for their RhD factor type, most women are not screened. The EU-funded ABOPEN project proposes a user-friendly, reliable, affordable and off-the-lab grouping test that works similarly to pregnancy tests identifying the RhD factor type in just 60 seconds and requiring only a single-step process. The device can be stored for more than 24 months at room temperature, does not require trained personnel and can be used to identify blood grouping in emergency situations.
Objective
Despite being eradicated from the developed world, the Rhesus Disease or HDFN (Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn), a disease where the immune system from the mother attacks the red blood cells from their babies, still kills 141,000 children and mothers in developing regions every year. Deaths that could be easily prevented by screening pregnant women for their RhD factor type. Although 15% of RhD(-) women are at risk, 220 million women in developing countries should be tested, since the majority do not know their RhD factor type.
At Eldon Biologicals AS (a Danish company created in 2002), we are a profitable company that has already sold millions of EldonCards (a pioneering off-the-lab dry format grouping test) in more than 44 countries and has built a well-established worldwide network of customers and distributors. We are part of the influential International Federation of Gynecology and Obstretics (FIGO) and founding member of CURhE, an international initiative to stop HDNF. Now, we are moving one step further from EldonCards overcoming its limitations to erase HDNF from developing countries. To do so, we have created ABOPEN, a user-friendly off-the-lab grouping test that can be stored for up to 24 months at 37C and works similarly to pregnancy tests, identifying the RhD factor type in just 1 minute and a single-step procedure. ABOPEN can be performed outside a laboratory setting (does not need electricity) by non-trained personnel, while keeping its affordability (it costs just €4), precision and accuracy. ABOPEN has also a sizeable market in developed countries, as an instant and easy to use device to find out about blood grouping for urgent transfusions (accidents, hospitals, military) or just personal information.
By end of 2025, we expect to generate €8 million in turnover (ROI of 2.2) while creating 7 new jobs for the company.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
SME-1 - SME instrument phase 1Coordinator
2820 GENTOFTE
Denmark
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.