Antler-backed medtech firm creates ‘lollipop-like’ Covid-19 testing swab

Test At Home (TAH), a medical technology startup backed by Singapore-based venture capital firm Antler, has completed clinical trial of its proprietary “lollipop-like” device that helps individuals collect saliva samples for Covid-19 self-testing.

Photo credit: 123rf

The swab can be used by any age group to collect oral fluids samples by themselves and produces minimal to no aerosols during the process. Initial clinical data shows that the swab generates about 95% accurate results.

Based in Singapore and India, TAH is currently undergoing regulatory clearance and final quality control procedures for deployment of this Covid-19 swab in India, Singapore, Australia, UK, US, and the European Union, among others.

Founded in 2020 by a group of biomedical scientists and engineers, TAH aims to simplify medical diagnostics for convenient home-based testing with its scientific technologies.

“As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to rage across the world, the need for accurate and convenient self-testing protocols is crucial,” said Antler partner Björn Lindfors.

See also: 10 tech investment winners for a post-Covid world

Based on the clinical trial data, TAH’s science-medical collaborators noted that the swab will be a “game-changer” for Covid-19 sample collection and testing. Not only does the new tech make the accuracy of self-collected saliva testing equivalent to that of nasal swab method, but it also reduces the risk to health workers and the inconvenience of deep nasal invasion.

Photo credit: Test At Home

At present, TAH is expanding the use of this technology beyond Covid-19 to upper respiratory tract infections and other diseases including tuberculosis, food sensitivity, and dental health.

TAH the second Antler-backed startup that has produced a unique Covid-19 test. In October 2020, Breathonix developed a breath test that can detect Covid-19 within a minute. The startup, which was spun off from the National University of Singapore, achieved more than 90% accuracy in a clinical trial involving 180 patients.

These developments come after Antler announced in April 2020 that it will invest a total of up to US$500,000 in startups focused on tackling Covid-19. The firm said it was planning to invest in up to five teams.