018/2018 Provision of Instrument Module for the Detection of Urinary Tract Infections

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a common and unpleasant problem affecting thousands of people. It leads to painful symptoms and time off work, and sometimes significant complications, such as kidney damage. GPs diagnose UTI in patients based on their symptoms. Often they will also check a urine sample for infecting bacteria, and for white blood cells, which show the patient's body is generating an inflammatory reaction to the infection. Current methods to look for bacteria and inflammation are slow and sometimes unreliable- it can take three days to get a result for a urine sample sent to a microbiology laboratory. As the patient has ongoing symptoms, the GP will sometimes prescribe antibiotics before the result is back. However, if the result received actually shows no infection, antibiotics could be harmful to the patient, and to the community at large, due to increasing risk of antibiotic resistance.

In collaboration with NHS Trust partners, the University of the West of England is developing a device that can be used in GP practices to identify UTI bacteria and inflammation in five minutes. The patients will give a urine sample to the practice nurse, who will then put some of the sample into a test cartridge. This fluidic cartridge contains antibodies to common UTI bacteria, and a protein which is a better test for inflammation than the current check for white blood cells. When the cartridge goes into the new instrument, the diagnosis will be made. Patient feedback on our plans has been received from patient panels supporting the research team through focus groups and direct feedback. This emphasised the importance of ensuring the test is safe, easy to use for nurses, inexpensive for GP practices, and easy to store. We must ensure the device is accurate, gives results in line with standard tests, and we will ensure it enhances NHS treatment pathways.

One fluidic cartridge will be used for each patient test and it will be docked with the instrument when measurement is required. The measurement process for each biomarker involves a magneto-immunoassay. Details of this assay are provided in document 14. The instrument will perform the following functions (1) control of sample collection and preparation process, (2) control of magnetic particles to capture the biomarkers, (3) measurement of bound magnetic particles, and (4) the use of an algorithm to convert output of measurement to biomarker concentration.

UWE requires the delivery of a unit to perform function (2) - control of magnetic particles to capture biomarkers and (3) above - measurement of bound magnetic particles. Key elements will be precise, reproducible movement of magnets to optimise the positioning of magnetic particles within the fluid flow to ensure capture of the majority of particles and developing robust system for measurement of the required 4 biomarkers. This contract will require a close working relationship between the Supplier and the University ...

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Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No