Сombating the “Silent Pandemic”: How iFAST Diagnostics Is Reshaping Infection Care

When a patient arrives at the hospital with a serious infection, treatment often begins before doctors have the full picture. Clinicians must act quickly, balancing urgency with uncertainty – knowing that the wrong choice can slow recovery, prolong hospital stays, and contribute to a growing global challenge.

This week, iFAST Diagnostics reached a milestone that meaningfully shifts that balance.
The UK-based company has received the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark for its ultra-rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) system, clearing the final regulatory hurdle for commercial use across Great Britain.

iFast ONE System

In most hospitals today, identifying the most effective antibiotic can take 24-48 hours, relying on traditional culture-based testing. During that waiting period, clinicians are often forced to prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics as a precaution – a practice that can delay optimal treatment and contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

The iFAST ONE system compresses that timeline dramatically.

Using an impedance-based microfluidic chip technology, iFAST analyses thousands of individual bacteria directly from positive blood cultures, delivering actionable susceptibility results in under three hours, which is fast enough to influence treatment decisions within a single hospital shift.

For patients with severe conditions such as sepsis, those hours matter.

A Technology Built for Real-World Impact

Rather than focusing solely on laboratory performance, iFAST was designed with hospital workflows in mind. Its system integrates into existing pathology environments, enabling laboratories to provide clinicians with clear guidance while treatment decisions are still being made - not days later.

“We are super-excited to have achieved our UKCA mark. As we go to market, hospitals using our system will have access to AST results in under three hours, improving outcomes for thousands of patients – especially in critical cases involving sepsis and multi-drug resistant infections” - said Dr Toby King, CEO of iFAST Diagnostics Ltd. 

Addressing One of Healthcare’s Most Urgent Challenges

Antimicrobial resistance is often described as a “silent pandemic.” When antibiotics are used without precise targeting – often due to slow diagnostics – resistant strains are given room to spread. Faster, more accurate susceptibility testing is widely recognised as one of the most effective levers for change.

By enabling clinicians to identify the right treatment earlier, iFAST helps reduce unnecessary antibiotic use while improving patient outcomes – aligning clinical benefit with long-term public health priorities.

Commercialisation and Industry Validation

Following regulatory approval, iFAST has already taken its first step into real-world deployment. In January 2026, the company secured its first commercial order from UKHSA, marking a meaningful transition from clinical validation to frontline use. 

In February 2026, SYNLAB’s Southwest Pathology Services began evaluating the iFAST platform against standard lab protocols. The assessment focuses on both performance and practicality – a crucial step toward broader clinical adoption once evaluations are complete.

These collaborations reflect growing momentum behind rapid AST as a tool not just for faster decision-making, but for better antibiotic stewardship across the healthcare system.

Looking Ahead

With UKCA approval secured, iFAST Diagnostics now enters a new phase: commercial deployment within the UK healthcare system.

As hospitals face increasing pressure to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and combat antimicrobial resistance, technologies that deliver speed, accuracy, and real-world usability will play an increasingly central role.

For iFAST, the ambition is clear – to turn hours saved into lives improved, and to make rapid, informed infection treatment the new standard of care.