An Antigen-Based Rapid Test to detect L. loa infections, Aimed at Supporting Onchocerciasis Elimination Programs

Onchocerciasis elimination programs rely on mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin, a drug that can be lethal in people heavily co-infected with Loa loa. In the absence of a suitable diagnostic for loiasis, entire areas or even countries such as Gabon, where onchocerciasis and loiasis are co-endemic, are not being addressed by the MDA programs. Hence, an exclusion test is required to treat areas where onchocerciasis and loiasis are co-endemic. Considering this, our goal in this Phase I proposal is to deliver an antigen-based rapid test capable of detecting Loa infections with high microfilariae loads so that patients at risk can be identified and excluded from ivermectin treatment. We will focus on new Loa biomarkers identified in 2023 at the School of Medicine of Washington University in St. Louis (WUSTL), and propose to adapt them to our lateral flow assay platform. Our hope is that the new Loa test presented herein will allow onchocerciasis elimination programs to be extended to all of Africa. The project will be a collaboration between Big Eye Diagnostics, and the discoverers of the novel Loa biomarkers at WUSTL, Dr. P. Budge and Prof. P. Fischer, who is also the Co-PI of the DOLF project.