Yayasan Setara Diagnostika Indonesia is developing a low-cost multiplex ELISA platform that detects multiple diseases simultaneously — at under USD 2 per test — using equipment already in district-level labs across Indonesia.
"Diagnostic inequity is a solvable problem — with the right technology and the right commitment."
The Challenge
Millions of patients face delayed treatment, preventable complications, and inappropriate antibiotic use because affordable, accurate diagnostics simply do not exist at the point of care.
Molecular and multiplex diagnostic platforms cost USD 20–200 per test — far beyond the reach of district-level health facilities and rural patients.
Single-analyte tests require health workers to order multiple separate tests sequentially, adding cost, time, and risk of misdiagnosis at every step.
High-performance assays exist but require specialized readers, proprietary reagents, and infrastructure found only in urban reference laboratories.
Indonesia simultaneously battles endemic infectious diseases — filariasis, dengue, leptospirosis — and rising noncommunicable diseases like diabetes affecting 19.5 million people.
No affordable multiplex tool exists. Sequential single-analyte testing leads to delayed diagnosis, antibiotic misuse, and preventable mortality.
Post-MDA surveillance tools do not meet WHO TPP criteria, risking premature declaration of elimination and resurgence.
Full TORCH panel costs USD 60–150 and is largely unavailable in rural areas, leaving congenital infections undetected at critical junctures.
Our Innovation
The mELISA platform builds on standard ELISA methodology already present in district-level laboratories — enhanced with two key innovations that make multiplexing affordable and accessible.
Multiple antigens or antibodies are printed in a defined spatial grid on a single ELISA plate well. Each spot detects a different disease target simultaneously.
Colorimetric reactions are captured using a low-cost camera or smartphone instead of a conventional ELISA plate reader — no proprietary equipment required.
No proprietary reagents. No locked-in readers. Compatible with existing district-level infrastructure across Indonesia and other LMICs.
Prototype built with 6 schistosomiasis antigens and 4 filariasis antigens in single-well format, delivering visually discriminable, disease-relevant colorimetric readouts.
Diagnostic Panels
Our first 24 months focus on three disease areas that represent the greatest unmet diagnostic need across Indonesia and the wider LMIC context.
Detects both Brugian and Bancroftian filariasis simultaneously to support WHO-standard post-MDA monitoring across 236 endemic districts.
Simultaneously detects dengue, malaria, typhoid, leptospirosis, and viral infections — reducing diagnosis time from 5+ days to same-day.
Comprehensive maternal infectious disease screening in one test — covering Chickenpox, Hepatitis E, Toxoplasmosis, Syphilis, HIV, Rubella, CMV, and HSV.
Expected Outcomes
Over 36 months this seed investment will produce validated, field-ready diagnostic tools with documented health and economic outcomes.
Following successful validation and pilot, the platform will be expanded to tuberculosis, cancer biomarkers, NCDs, and AMR — and adapted for deployment across Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America.
Leadership
30+ years in diagnostic biomarker discovery and immunoassay development for parasitic and tropical diseases. Led multiplex ELISA platform development at CDC-Atlanta (2002–2026). Collaborated with WHO, KEMRI-Kenya, University of Indonesia, Federal University of Bahia, and Leiden University Medical Center.
Leading daily organizational operations, external partnerships, and financial management.
Assay development, antigen production, and quality control oversight across all three panels.
Budget management, funder reporting, and partner liaison across clinical sites and regulatory bodies.
Scientific Advisory Group
The Investment
A one-time seed grant delivers three validated diagnostic products, field-tested infrastructure, and a platform ready for global scale-up.
3 validated multiplex diagnostic assay panels (NTD Filariasis, AFI, CHEAP TORCH)
Field-tested in 3–5 district-level laboratories across endemic regions of Indonesia
BPOM regulatory dossier submitted for lead panel — path to national scale
2+ peer-reviewed publications documenting platform performance
Platform ready for Gates Foundation, Wellcome Trust, and WHO-TDR scale-up funding
Year 3 reflects conclusion of major capital expenditure with an estimated USD 60,000 in cost-recovery revenue from pilot district laboratory arrangements — demonstrating early path to sustainability.