AI-driven All-in-one Diagnostic Platform for Malaria Species Differentiation

Award type :
Product Development Award

Product type :
Diagnostics

Award year :
2023

Project start date :
03 / 16 / 2023

Project end date :
03 / 15 / 2026

Project duration (months) :
36

Development stage :
Late Validation, Clinical Validation

Funding amount(KRW) :
3,981,749,360

Target disease :
Malaria

Region served :
Uganda

Recipient organization / Country of funding recipient organization :
Noul / Republic of Korea

Collaborator(s) / Country :
Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) / USA, University of Notre Dame / USA, Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) / Switzerland, Infectious Disease Center / Ghana, National Malaria Control Program under the Ministry of Health / Malawi

The miLab platform seeks to revolutionize malaria diagnostics by offering reliable, rapid parasitological confirmation of malaria within 15 minutes, making this test significantly cheaper and faster than traditional microscopy methods. Targeting health facilities in LMICs without the infrastructure for complex and expensive diagnostics, miLab combines automated microscopic examination, digital imaging, and AI analysis for accurate malaria detection. This system surpasses the limitations of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and eliminates the need for specially trained laboratory personnel, setting a new standard in diagnostic accuracy. The project’s goals include demonstrating miLab’s full value proposition, improving malaria diagnostic systems, and building evidence for its clinical- and cost-effectiveness to support market penetration and regulatory approval. miLab has the potential to reduce anti-malarial drug misuse, enhance case management, and decrease the financial burden on malaria programs by lowering diagnostic and treatment costs, representing a significant advancement in combating malaria globally.