A SCREENING TEST FOR CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS IN WOMEN

GENITAL CHLAMYDIA TRACHOMATIS INFECTION IS CURRENTLY THE MOST COMMON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE IN THE UNITED STATES. ALTHOUGH IT IS OFTEN RELATIVELY ASYMPTOMATIC AND CAUSES SERIOUS SEQUELAE, IT IS READILY TREATABLE. THEREFORE, IT IS AN IDEAL TARGET FOR WIDESPREAD SCREENING. HOWEVER, CURRENT DIAGNOSTIC METHODOLOGIES ARE PROHIBITIVELY EXPENSIVE, TIME CONSUMING AND LABOR INTENSIVE. WE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE BASIC TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A COLORIMETRIC, PRESUMPTIVE SCREENING TEST FOR GENITAL CHLAMYDIA INFECTION IN WOMEN WHICH IS SUITABLE FOR ON-SITE USE BY CLINICAL PERSONNEL WITH DIFFERENT TRAINING AND BACKGROUNDS. THE TEST WILL BE RAPID, SIMPLE, INEXPENSIVE, STABLE AT ROOM TEMPERATURE, COMPACT, AND IDEAL FOR USE IN RESOURCE POOR SETTINGS. IN PHASE II, WE WILL DEVELOP, OPTIMIZE AND FORMAT ITS SCREENING TEST FOR CHLAMYDIA. IN PHASE III, WE WILL COMMERCIALIZE THE FINISHED PRODUCT THROUGH A LICENSE ARRANGEMENT WITH ONE OF ITS CORPORATE MARKETING PARTNERS.