Burnet partners with Atomo on rapid liver test

Burnet Institute today announced it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Atomo Diagnostics to support global commercialisation of Burnet’s novel rapid point-of-care liver function screening test. 

The rapid liver health test, developed by Burnet Diagnostics Initiative, measures levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), a core biomarker of liver injury. Rapid measurement of ALT allows immediate detection of liver dysfunction and routine monitoring of liver health outside traditional laboratory settings. 

Burnet’s rapid screening test was designed to expand accessibility to liver health monitoring for both acute and chronic conditions, especially in settings where laboratory testing is delayed or unavailable. It supports early identification of liver inflammation caused by drug-induced liver injury, viral hepatitis (B and C), metabolic-associated fatty liver disease and other causes, prompting timely intervention before significant liver damage occurs. 

“This licensing agreement marks a major step forward in making innovative liver health diagnostics accessible to clinicians and patients worldwide,” said Deputy Director Impact Professor Heidi Drummer. 

“This test has the potential to transform early detection and management of liver disease from all causes, including chronic hepatitis B which remains a major global health challenge with 250 million people infected globally, the majority in the Western Pacific and African regions, and 1.2 million new cases every year." 

The technology has been refined from initial prototypes into a user-friendly lateral flow format capable of accurately quantifying ALT levels in real time, with customised testing on Atomo’s Pascal platform, a fully integrated rapid test cassette that includes blood collection and buffer release systems to deliver results at the point of care. 

Under the license, Atomo gains exclusive rights to commercialise the Pascal-based liver health test. Burnet will receive royalty payments based on net sales, with a reduced rate for lower-income markets, and milestones payments tied to regulatory approvals in key jurisdictions including the United States (FDA), Europe (IVDR) and Australia (TGA). These terms align with standard diagnostics industry practice.  

“Rapid on-the-spot liver health screenings bypasses the need for laboratory infrastructure and offer clinicians and community health workers a way to make quicker, better-informed decisions at the point of care,” said Burnet Director of Commercialisation and Research Translation Jennifer Barnes. 

“This partnership with Atomo will help bring a highly practical liver health screening tool to patients and clinicians who need it most. Early detection and monitoring of liver injury can make a real difference in improving patient outcomes.”  

This groundbreaking novel rapid liver test strengthens Burnet and Atomo’s strategic partnership, having collaborated on Active Syphilis, and looks forward to supporting regulatory approval processes and ensuring global access to this important innovation.