EASIVIRAL · Project

Portable 40-Minute HIV Detection Kit Replacing Lab-Based Testing

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Imagine you could test someone for HIV right in a local clinic — no lab needed — and get results in 40 minutes instead of days. That's what AltraTech built: a portable, battery-powered kit that captures, purifies, and detects the HIV virus from a blood sample using silicon sensor chips. Think of it like a pregnancy test but for HIV viral load, accurate enough to prescribe treatment on the spot. It can also detect Hepatitis and other viruses in the same test, and doesn't need refrigerated chemicals, so it works anywhere.

By the numbers

40 minutes

Time to detect HIV viral load from blood sample

€210M

Point-of-care HIV viral-load market size

€1B

Viral clinical diagnostics market (disruption target)

>30%

Target market share of PoC HIV-VL market

€18M

Cumulative EBITDA target by 2024

New jobs planned

76%

Increase in new HIV diagnoses in European Region (WHO)

1000

Fabricated silicon sensor chips (manufacturing demo)

€2,969,000

EU funding received

The business problem

What needed solving

HIV diagnoses in the European Region increased by 76%, yet there is no portable solution for viral-load testing at the point of care. Clinics must send blood samples to centralized labs using RT-PCR technology that has been the standard for two decades, meaning patients wait days for results and may not return for treatment. This delay costs lives and enables further virus spread.

The solution

What was built

AltraTech built a portable, battery-operated diagnostic kit that captures, purifies, and detects HIV from a blood sample in 40 minutes using silicon sensor chips. The project delivered 1000 fabricated silicon sensor chips, demonstrating manufacturing-scale production capability, and the system also combo-detects Hepatitis and other viruses without needing refrigerated reagents.

Audience

Who needs this

Point-of-care diagnostics distributors expanding into infectious disease testingPrivate clinic chains and community health centers in high HIV-prevalence regionsPharmaceutical companies needing rapid viral-load monitoring in clinical trialsNGOs and government health agencies running HIV screening programs in remote areasMedical device companies looking to license or co-market rapid viral diagnostics

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical Diagnostics Distribution

mid-size

Target: Point-of-care diagnostics distributors and medical device resellers

If you are a diagnostics distributor looking to expand your point-of-care portfolio — this project developed a portable, battery-operated HIV viral-load testing kit that delivers results in 40 minutes without lab infrastructure. It also combo-detects Hepatitis and other viruses, targeting a €210M point-of-care HIV-VL market. This gives you a product that works in clinics, mobile units, and remote settings where traditional RT-PCR labs aren't available.

Healthcare / Clinical Services

any

Target: Private clinic chains and community health centers in high-prevalence regions

If you are a clinic operator dealing with long turnaround times for HIV viral-load results — this project created a kit that runs the test on-site in 40 minutes from a blood sample, enabling immediate prescription and therapy. No refrigerated reagents needed, so storage and logistics costs drop. With HIV diagnoses in the European Region having increased by 76%, rapid on-site testing is becoming a clinical necessity.

Pharmaceutical & Biotech

enterprise

Target: Pharmaceutical companies running clinical trials requiring rapid viral-load monitoring

If you are a pharma company needing fast viral-load readouts during HIV or Hepatitis clinical trials — this project built a portable detection system using silicon sensor chips that eliminates the need to send samples to central labs. Results in 40 minutes means same-day data collection at trial sites. The technology was validated with 1000 fabricated silicon sensor chips, demonstrating manufacturing readiness.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does this technology cost compared to standard lab-based HIV testing?

The project objective states the kit offers reduced cost compared to RT-PCR diagnostics currently used in laboratories. It eliminates the need for refrigerated reagents and expensive lab infrastructure. However, specific per-test pricing is not disclosed in the available project data.

Can this be manufactured at industrial scale?

Yes — one of the key deliverables was 1000 fabricated silicon sensor chips, demonstrating batch manufacturing capability. The project objective mentions growing revenues and competitiveness of manufacturing supply partners, indicating a supply chain is being established.

What is the IP situation and how can I license this?

AltraTech holds a portfolio of granted patents on the EASIVIRAL technology, with plans to grow that portfolio further. As a single-partner SME project, all IP sits with AltraTech Limited in Ireland. Licensing or distribution arrangements would need to be negotiated directly with them.

What regulatory approvals does this need?

As a medical diagnostic device, EASIVIRAL would require CE marking in Europe and FDA clearance in the US. The project received an EU Seal of Excellence in a prior health competition phase, but specific regulatory approval status is not detailed in the available project data.

How long does it take to get results?

The system delivers HIV viral-load results in 40 minutes from a blood sample. This compares to days or weeks for traditional lab-based RT-PCR testing, enabling immediate clinical intervention and therapy prescription on the same visit.

Does this integrate with existing clinical workflows?

The kit is designed as a portable, battery-operated unit for point-of-care use in local clinics. It uses proven HIV biomarkers and standard blood samples, so it fits into existing clinical sample collection workflows. No lab infrastructure or refrigeration is required at the testing site.

What market size are we talking about?

The project targets the €210M point-of-care HIV viral-load market with a goal of capturing over 30% market share. Beyond that, the broader viral clinical diagnostics market is valued at €1B, which the technology has potential to disrupt by displacing two-decade-old RT-PCR diagnostics.

Consortium

Who built it

EASIVIRAL is a single-company project: AltraTech Limited, an Irish SME that received the full €2,969,000 EU contribution. The 100% industry consortium with zero university or research partners is unusual but signals this is a commercialization play, not a research exercise. AltraTech secured the SME Instrument Phase 2 — one of the most competitive EU funding schemes — after passing Phase 1 feasibility and earning a Seal of Excellence. The company brought in a new CEO, new management, and venture capital funding alongside the EU grant. For a potential business partner, this means you're dealing with a focused, venture-backed SME that owns all the IP and makes all the decisions — no consortium politics.

ALTRATECH LIMITEDCoordinator · IE

How to reach the team

AltraTech Limited is based in Ireland. SciTransfer can facilitate a warm introduction to the right person at AltraTech.

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Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore distribution, licensing, or integration of EASIVIRAL's rapid HIV detection technology into your diagnostics portfolio? Contact SciTransfer for a confidential briefing and introduction to the team.

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