Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common autoimmune diseases. Early diagnosis of this disease can have a significant impact on the treatment and progression of the disease. Since molecular markers can be detected before clear symptoms appear, molecular tests are an important tool. Current tests for RA can be laborious and typically require hospital laboratories. We aim to make early testing more accessible, both for screening at primary care providers and in countries around the world lacking the infrastructure for more advanced tests. To achieve this, a test for RA biomarkers based on hemagglutination is being developed in collaboration with private partners. For such a test, we are developing a custom protein that causes the red blood cells of the patients own blood to stick together if RA biomarkers are present. This provides a visible readout, without the need for specialized equipment.
