7th June 2024

A Cardiff biotech firm is at the forefront of an innovative diagnostic test for multiple sclerosis.

Immunoserv is performing clinical validation studies which build on the success it achieved with a Covid 19 T cell blood test.

The firm was co-founded in 2020 by Dr Martin Scurr and Professor Andrew Godkin with Dr James Hindley then joining the company at a later date. All have a background in immunology.

One of the first things they did on founding the company was to develop a new blood test that measured T cell responses to SARS CoV 2, the virus that causes Covid 19. Dr Scurr said the innovation behind the test was in making it scalable, meaning it could be used across multiple studies.

Immunoserv’s MS project was one of five awarded a share of £900,000 in funding support from Welsh Government to deliver real-life medical benefits via cutting edge life sciences technology.

Immunoserv received £200,000 to develop its T cell research.

The firm, which currently employs seven and is based at Cardiff Medicentre, aims eventually to expand its service and workforce.

Business News Wales spoke to Dr Martin Scurr, Chief Scientific Officer at Immunoserv, about how the blood test could prove to be revolutionary in the diagnosis of MS, and about the Welsh biotech ecosystem.