Lateral flow assay (LFA) based diagnostic tests are widely used for point of care (POC) and consumer/self-testing, due to the combination of rapid results with cost-effective testing, achievable by non-specialists. The most well-known application are pregnancy tests. The Clearblue test was the first commercial application of lateral flow technology, in 1988. The unique advantages of LFAs have encouraged the platform to be adopted across a variety of industries, from personal care products to environmental remediation and medical diagnostics. The LFA global market is estimated to be valued $9.65 billion, by 2024.
LFAs are becoming increasingly popular strategies for qualitative, semi-quantitative or quantitative analysis of a variety of target analytes, such as pathogens or biomarkers. An LFA test strip is very simple; involving the chromatographic separation of a test solution across a nitrocellulose membrane and the identification of a specific analyte by binding to antibodies or other affinity reagents on the test strip to give a signal.
Avacta Group Plc (LON:AVCT) offers reagents and therapeutics based on Affimer technology for diagnostic and research applications in the United Kingdom. The company’s custom Affimer products are also used in drugs and biomarkers discovery in biotech research and development.
