Pathpod relies on easy-to-use gear, provides results in 30 minutes and requires minimal training. An operator pours the sample on a lab-on-a-chip cartridge and loads the cartridge into an automatic, portable device to perform the analysis. The cartridge is then safely discarded. The system is based on Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP), a molecular technology that amplifies and detects the specific genetic sequences of the virus. The solution is an adaption of the platform developed under the EU project VIVALDI to detect animal viruses. The system will process up to 10 samples in a single run. Pathpod will be accurate comparable to RT-PCR, the current gold standard for the molecular diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2, with the advantage of being faster and on-site. It will be suitable for rapid second-line detection in mobile clinics and community health centres without the need to ship the sample to a central laboratory.

Watch the video presenting PATHPOD