Cystic Fibrosis Diagnostics Opportunity Forum

Who should register? 

We welcome expressions of interest from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and academic researchers worldwide, working within or outside infectious disease. This includes: 

• Diagnostic developers working in CF, chronic respiratory infection, infectious disease or other respiratory conditions, including those whose technology could be adapted for CF. 

• Biomarker, biosensor and assay developers 

• Developers of sample collection, preparation or analysis technologies, including approaches using non-sputum samples.

• Imaging, digital health, data and monitoring innovators 

• Academic teams with research that could be translated into a diagnostic product 

• SMEs seeking clinical or translational collaborators 

Previous CF experience is not required. Your technology should have a credible potential application, or route to adaptation or validation, for CF lung infection detection or pulmonary exacerbation monitoring. 

What technologies are in scope? 

We are particularly interested in technologies that could meet one or more of the following needs: 

• Collect, prepare or analyse samples other than sputum, eg exhaled breath. 

• Enable tests that currently rely on sputum to use alternative sample types, through adaptation or validation. 

• Detect and/or identify pathogens associated with CF lung infections, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, non-tuberculous mycobacteria and other CF-relevant pathogens. 

• Detect or monitor lung infections or pulmonary exacerbations using biomarkers, imaging, digital or data-driven approaches, or other technologies. 

• Provide information to guide treatment decisions or monitor treatment response in CF lung infection. 

Explore the diagnostic priorities 

Developed with people with CF, clinicians, researchers and industry, the CF AMR Syndicate’s diagnostic Target Product Profiles (TPPs) describe priority needs and the characteristics of tests intended to address them. Use them to explore how your technology could contribute. 

(View the diagnostic TPPs here) 

What is out of scope 

The following fall outside the focus of this event: 

• Tests to diagnose CF itself, rather than CF lung infection or pulmonary exacerbations. 

• Therapeutic interventions. 

• Basic discovery research with no clearly defined diagnostic output or route towards translation. 

• General CF monitoring, wellness, service-delivery or patient-management tools without a role in detecting or monitoring lung infection or pulmonary exacerbations. 

• Technologies focused solely on other diseases, with no intention to explore a CF application. 

• General consultancy or infrastructure services not linked to a specific diagnostic technology or project. 

What will the event cover? 

Participants will have the opportunity to: 

• Understand the clinical needs described in the diagnostic TPPs 

• Explore how their technology could be applied or adapted for CF 

• Hear about relevant biomarker research and wider opportunities for translation  

• Learn directly from clinicians, researchers and people with CF 

• Discover expertise, networks and resources available through the CF AMR Syndicate and wider CF community 

• Explore the market opportunity for CF infection diagnostics and the potential for wider applications beyond CF. 

• Connect with potential clinical, academic and industry collaborators, and discover relevant expertise, networks and resources. 

• Discuss the evidence, validation and development pathways required to progress promising technologies and future diagnostic projects. 

The event will also see the launch of a new CF diagnostics market opportunity report led by the CF AMR Syndicate, providing insight into unmet needs and opportunities for innovation within and beyond CF. 

Further programme details, including any opportunities to present your technology, will be shared closer to the event. 

Why consider CF? 

CF offers clearly defined unmet diagnostic needs, a well-characterised condition and an established clinical and research community. Together, these provide opportunities for innovators to develop and evaluate technologies with input from clinical experts and people with CF. 

The CF AMR Syndicate can facilitate connections with people with CF, specialist clinicians, academic researchers, experts in industry and translation. Through the CF Syndicate, developers can also access expertise and support for study design and delivery through specialist CF centres and national and international CF clinical research networks. 

Technologies developed or validated in CF may also have applications in bronchiectasis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, COPD and other conditions involving chronic or difficult-to-treat respiratory infection. 

Complete the short expression of interest to tell us about your technology and what you hope to gain from the event. We will ask for: 

• Your name, role, organisation and country 

• A short, non-confidential description of the technology or research incl current development stage and sample type, where relevant 

• The CF diagnostic need it could potentially address 

• Why you are interested in attending 

• The expertise, resources or collaborations that would help you progress 

• any accessibility or participation requirements

The EOI is not a funding application and will not be assessed competitively. We will use the information to confirm relevance, plan the event and identify useful introductions. Submitting an EOI does not automatically confirm a place; all respondents will be contacted separately. 

Registration here.