June 26, 2025

Singapore-developed bird flu test kit licensed for regional distribution

A new diagnostic test kit developed in Singapore for detecting the highly pathogenic H5 strain of avian influenza has been commercialised and licensed for regional distribution.

The Steadfast H5-HPAI test kit was created through an international collaboration involving the Diagnostics Development Hub (DxD Hub), a national platform hosted by the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore's ASTAR Bioinformatics Institute, and Japan's National Institute for Environmental Studies.

The assay, originally developed in November 2024, has since been validated and translated into a market-ready product.

Designed for use in centralised laboratories, the test enables detection of the virus within three hours and is noted for its high sensitivity and specificity. Developers said this makes the kit a useful tool for early outbreak detection, timely intervention, and integration into national surveillance systems.

The test kit has been non-exclusively licensed to BioAcumen Global Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based biotechnology firm. BioAcumen will distribute the kits to surveillance centres, veterinary clinics, hospitals, and laboratories across Southeast Asia starting December 2025.

- Singapore Business Review