Atlas Genetics finds EU approval

Atlas Genetics, a Bath University spinout developing point-of-care diagnostics equipment, has secured regulatory approval to sell its chlamydia test within the EU.

The product, called Io CT, is able to provide a positive or negative test result for chlamydia within 30 minutes. Io CT has been shown to match the gold standard laboratory test in performance.

Atlas Genetics was spun out in 2005. The company has developed a platform, Io, to develop tests for sexually transmitted diseases and hopes to release tests for conditions such as gonorrhoea and trichomonas vaginalis, which can cause genital inflammation, in the future.

In 2010, Atlas Genetics received a £1.6m ($2.3m) grant from the UK’s innovation agency Technology Strategy Board in partnership with Public Health England, an executive agency of the UK’s Department of Health.

The company closed a £16.9m series B round in 2014 with investment from Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Novartis Venture Fund, the respective corporate venturing units of pharmaceutical firms Johnson & Johnson and Novartis, and healthcare company Consort Medical.

BB Biotech Ventures and Life Sciences Partners also took part in the series B round.

This was followed by a $20m series C round in January 2015 with participation from Johnson & Johnson Innovation, Novartis Venture Fund, RMI Partners and South West Ventures Fund.

John Clarkson, chief executive of Atlas Genetics, said: “This is a major milestone for Atlas Genetics and marks the beginning of the next phase of growth for Atlas as we move to commercialise our first product and expand the Io infectious disease menu of tests.”