​Rapid respiratory infection screening device for animals to prevent epidemics, limit the impact of reduced growth rates, and lower the associated financial costs

With nawu diagnostics, livestock can be tested for respiratory diseases within 30 minutes instead of the usual 48 hours with lab PCR tests. This innovative diagnostic testing solution is backed by eight CEA patents. The solution will be released in late 2027.

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The European cattle industry loses an estimated €500 million each year to respiratory diseases. Results of a lab PCR test can take between two and five days. From the time the sample is collected to when the results are available, animals continue to spread the disease to others and sometimes die, leading to lower growth and delayed reproduction.

The portable, battery-powered device developed by nawu diagnostics produces reliable results in just 30 minutes so that a treatment decision can be made rapidly. This non-invasive, easy-to-use system is a game-changer. The device simply collects and tests the air exhaled by animals with a suspected infection or preventively. It has already proven effective on bronchiolitis and coronaviruses and will soon be extended to six other diseases.

nawu diagnostics plans to target other livestock species—swine and poultry—and, ultimately, humans. The startup's two cofounders plan to raise funds within a year to fund the development of its first product.​

Key figure: 20%

20% of the world's livestock production is lost due to diseases—especially respiratory-tract infections.

Key Markets:

• Cattle, swine, and poultry farming
• Human health​

Technologies used:

• Electrostatic aerosol collector for sampling
• Capillary microfluidic circuit for sample preparation
• Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) molecular analysis for detection ​
  

Year founded: 2025

CEA Institute: CEA-Leti