Edinburgh University student introduces new 15-minute HPV diagnostic device

Developed by a single postgraduate student at the University of Edinburgh, the non-invasive at-home test detects human papillomavirus (HPV) strains in menstrual blood within fifteen minutes. It aims to replace smear tests for HPV detection entirely. The university is now accepting pre-orders to gauge market interest and attract investment from the UK’s National Health Service (NHS).

The device, paired with a smartphone app, responds to research showing that nearly one-third of UK women miss annual smear tests. The NHS targets eliminating HPV-caused cervical cancer by 2040, with vaccination as a crucial strategy.

In a competitive women’s health market, the device faces competition from Qvin in the US, which released a diagnostic period-pad for HPV screening in Thailand, and Daye in London, testing a diagnostic tampon for HPV.

The Papcup stands out as a single-indication diagnostic device, contrasting with declining trends in single-indication test sales from 1,509,347 units in 2014 to 496,918 units in 2023, according to GlobalData.