UK group to supply kits to detect biological warfare agents

The FT reports that Genedrive has clinched a rare deal with the US armed forces, providing them with millions of pounds of kit to test for biological warfare agents.

The US Department of Defense has now begun field trials of DNA analysis equipment from Genedrive.

The company, which is listed on Aim and changed its name from Epistem last year, is at the centre of a burgeoning medical equipment and health technology cluster in north-west England.

The Manchester-based business has developed a portable DNA-based test that it says can give accurate results within two hours.

David Budd, the Canadian chief executive of Genedrive, said: “We’re very proud that the US government came to the UK for this technology. It does not happen very often. They have had a lot of input on the design.” The $7.8m programme began in 2015 but only minimal details have been released until now.