Abingdon Health plc

("Abingdon Health" or "the Company")

AppDx^® lateral flow smartphone reader granted further patent

York, U.K. 7 March 2023: Abingdon Health plc (AIM: ABDX), a leading international lateral flow contract development and manufacturing organisation (CDMO), announces the granting of an additional patent for its AppDx® lateral flow smartphone reader.

AppDx® is a software development kit (SDK) for reading colorimetric lateral-flow tests (LFT) organized for Android™ and iOS® smartphone operating systems. AppDx® enables lateral-flow test readout from your pocket, enabled by a smartphone camera, that can be used by any user app. It consists of a software Application Programming Interface (API) accessed as a library which contains algorithms for image processing and deep learning in order to read a lateral-flow test using a smartphone. The algorithms need to be customized and tuned for each test. The Abingdon Health AppDx® algorithm reads the lateral flow device qualitatively (e.g. positive/negative) and semi-quantitively (e.g. negative/high/medium/low). A key point of differentiation is that the algorithm may be located on the smartphone, therefore not requiring a Wifi connection or 4G connection. It can also be provided as a web server-based solution.

The granted patent (GB 2601978) relates to the use of a plurality of captured images to provide a more refined algorithm which allows variations in imaging conditions to be averaged out and/or outliers removed. This allows the algorithm to counteract typically seen issues with measuring lateral flow devices such as specks of dust, reflections other artefacts and importantly different lighting conditions. These are important factors when considering the use of lateral flow tests in a range of different environments such as the home, doctor's office, veterinary office, farm or field. This innovation therefore is of critical importance in enabling the application of AppDx® commercially across a range of applications. 

This is the third patent granted to Abingdon Health in relation to AppDx®, including the granting of patent GB 2583419 which covers the use of neural-network based detection of lateral-flow tests, extracting the region-of-interest, and processing the data to calculate the values of the assay lines. This covers the two-stage pipeline where the assay area is extracted from the picture and image processing algorithms measure the line values and positions.

Chris Yates, CEO of Abingdon Health plc, commented: "We are pleased to announce the granting of a further patent for our AppDx® smartphone lateral flow reader. Given the expected rapid growth in the lateral flow self-test market we believe the use of smartphone apps, such as AppDx®, will be critical in allowing widespread adoption of lateral flow rapid-testing.

"This patent grant underlines Abingdon's focus on innovation to support its customers and we now look forward to initiating commercial discussions to bring this product to market."

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About Abingdon Health plc

Abingdon Health is a leading lateral flow contract development and manufacturing organisation ("CDMO") offering its services to an international customer base across industry sectors that include clinical, animal health, plant health, and environmental testing. Abingdon Health has the internal capabilities to take projects from initial concept through to routine and large-scale manufacturing; from "idea to commercial success."

The Company's CDMO division offers product development, regulatory support, technology transfer and manufacturing services for customers looking to develop new assays or transfer existing laboratory-based assays to a lateral flow format. Abingdon Health aims to support the increase in need for rapid results across many industries and locations and produces lateral flow tests in areas such as infectious disease, clinical testing including companion diagnostics, animal health and environmental testing. Faster access to results allows for rapid decision making, targeted intervention and can support better outcomes.  

Abingdon Health's Abingdon Simply Test range of self-tests is an ecommerce platform that offers a range of self-tests to empowers consumers to manage their own health and wellbeing. The Abingdon Simply Test ecommerce site offers consumers a range of information to support them in making informed decisions on the tests available. In addition, the site provides Abingdon's contract services customers with a potential route to market for self-tests. The Abingdon Simply Test range is also sold through international distributors and through other channels in the UK and Ireland such as pharmacy chains.

Founded in 2008, Abingdon Health is headquartered in York, England.

For more information visit: www.abingdonhealth.com