Visby Medical, Watchmaker Genomics Collaborate on Respiratory Pathogen Detection

Visby Medical has forged a strategic collaboration with Watchmaker Genomics to develop next-generation diagnostic tests for respiratory pathogen detection in the at-home setting. The partnership pairs Visby Medical’s instrument-free PCR testing technology—billed as the first and only of its kind—with Watchmaker’s expertise in engineering enzymes to address application-specific performance gaps.

“Recent increases in COVID cases involving new strains and the current flu season highlight the need for tests that are reliable and fast,” explained Visby Medical Chief Medical Officer Gary Schoolnik, M.D., infectious disease expert and professor of Medicine at Stanford University. “Every patient and their healthcare professional needs test results they can have confidence in so that appropriate treatment decisions can be made quickly for optimal recovery, infection control, and the judicious use of antibiotics. The essential tool is rapid PCR testing that does not require instruments or extended lab preparation.”

Clinical samples collected from patients for at-home testing are typically unprocessed, making them vulnerable to molecular inhibitors that can reduce signal strength and lower assay sensitivity. The need for rapid results in the at-home setting also places unique performance demands on the assays and the enzymes they rely on.

“This partnership underscores Watchmaker’s commitment to delivering solutions that address real issues in clinically relevant applications, and we are excited to work with Visby Medical to provide a unique and urgently needed solution that utilizes their PCR platform,” Watchmaker Genomics Co-Founder/CEO Trey Foskett stated. “Our StellarScript HT+ Reverse Transcriptase is engineered to be highly inhibitor-tolerant and thermostable—the novel enzyme is an excellent fit for rapid pathogen detection.”

Watchmaker Genomics applies advanced enzymology to enable breakthrough applications for the reading, writing, and editing of DNA and RNA. The company combines domain expertise in protein engineering with large-scale enzyme manufacturing to address the demanding quality, performance, and scale requirements of high-growth clinical genomics applications. Watchmaker’s product portfolio includes enzymes and kits for next-generation sequencing, synthetic biology, and molecular diagnostics.

Founded in 2012, Visby Medical is striving to revolutionize infectious disease diagnosis by empowering users to accurately test for infections anywhere, anytime, with laboratory accuracy. The company’s proprietary technology platform delivers true PCR results in under 30 minutes through instrument-free, single-use PCR tests that fit in the palm of the hand. Currently, Visby Medical offers U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared tests for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) directly to consumers. Visby Medical is actively expanding its platform targeting other critical respiratory and sexual health pathogens.