Avails Medical, Menlo Park, CA, USA
availsmedical.com

Avails eAST
RAPID ELECTRONIC AST
Bloodstream infections

Avails Medical is developing an electronic antibiotic susceptibility testing (AST) device to speed up health care providers’ ability to determine the most effective antibiotic treatment for serious and life-threatening blood infections. The new device, Avails eAST, will use electronic biosensors that fit onto commercially available AST panels to provide phenotypic results. From a positive blood culture sample, it aims to identify the most effective antibiotics to treat the infection within four hours rather than days. The Avails eAST has 96 integrated electronic sensors in a disposable lid that would fit onto widely available AST plates. When immersed into a positive blood culture sample, it rapidly detects bacterial growth to determine the best antibiotic treatment. The technology, with its small benchtop footprint and high throughput, is easy-to-use and could be ideal for smaller community-based hospitals and clinics to speed up delivery of information critical for treatment decisions.

Current Development Stage: Feasibility

CARB-X Investment: Initial investment of up to $2.5m, with potential option payments up to $14.7m.

Initial CARB-X Investment Date: January 1, 2021