OVERVIEW
During a disease outbreak, an agnostic diagnostic (a diagnostic that can detect any pathogen) would be a powerful tool to aid the public health response from day one. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies can identify any pathogen present in a sample — including emerging pathogens. DRIVe is supporting innovation in metagenomic NGS technologies to bring this much-needed capability closer to commercialization as an agnostic diagnostic for future pandemic preparation.
PARTNERS
Companies we have partnered with on this program to date
APPROACH
DRIVe started with an agnostic metagenomic NGS (mNGS)-based diagnostic covering all known and unknown respiratory RNA viruses. Presently, our focus is on technological advancements to facilitate agnostic mNGS-based diagnostics for viral pathogens in clinical laboratories and point-of-care settings. Our pursuit of innovation includes:
- Pioneering novel, accurate, and portable sequencing hardware
- Enhancing speed, efficiency, and integration of sample preparation methods
- Promoting user-friendly, automated, and platform-agnostic bioinformatics approaches
Program Goals
Clinically Relevant Assay
Develop a sample-to-answer system that runs in under 24 hours
Multi-platform Technologies
Create assays compatible with both short and long-read sequencers
Commercial Success and Market Adoption
Develop strategies to facilitate commercialization and gain acceptance in clinical laboratory settings
Agnostic Diagnostics
Related Publications
BARDA announces new partnerships to develop nextgen diagnostics for any respiratory RNA virus
BARDA's Division of Research, Innovation, and Ventures (DRIVe) is collaborating with multiple industry and academic partners to advance the ability to quickly respond to public health emergencies with a new...
BARDA’s Metagenomic NGS-Based Agnostic Diagnostic TPP
TPPs define the ideal attributes of products of interest to BARDA and show the ultimate goals of the proposed development effort such as disease indication, patient population, delivery mode ...
Collaborating to identify challenges and solutions for NGS-based agnostic diagnostic technologies
Next generation sequencing (NGS) has the potential to change the paradigm of traditional diagnostics
Validation of the VirCapSeq-VERT system for differential diagnosis, detection, and surveillance of viral infections
There is a need in clinical microbiology and public health for assays that enable sensitive and rapid detection of infectious agents...
Looking for General FAQ?
Agnostic Diagnostics program is open until September 30, 2024