Fresh results from a two-year UK program show Lumos Diagnostics Holdings Ltd (ASX:LDX, OTC:LDXHF)'s FebriDx test reduces unnecessary antibiotic prescribing, cuts repeat GP visits and keeps patients out of hospital. The findings highlight the potential role of rapid diagnostics in addressing both antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the strain on overstretched health systems.
The new data — which the company has highlighted in a poster presented at the Primary Care Respiratory Society (PCRS) Annual Conference in Telford, England — draws on nearly two years of real-world use across GP practices, urgent care settings and Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) hubs.
A clearer picture at the point of care
Respiratory infections are the leading reason for antibiotic prescriptions in primary care, even though a large share are viral and therefore unaffected by such treatment. The diagnostic challenge is that symptoms often overlap, leaving GPs to make quick calls under pressure.
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FebriDx aims to change that. Using a simple finger-prick blood sample, the test detects C-reactive protein (a marker associated with bacterial infection) alongside MxA, a protein that signals viral activity. Within 10 minutes, clinicians have a clear readout: bacterial or viral. Patients leave with an actionable plan rather than a prescription “just in case.”
In practice, this has translated into fewer unnecessary antibiotic scripts, higher patient confidence and lower system costs. In the UK program, clinicians reported greater certainty in decision-making, while nearly 40% of patients who would have otherwise sought hospital care were managed effectively in the community.
Why it matters for Australia
While the recent data comes from NHS sites in northern England, the lessons apply directly to Australia. Our own antibiotic consumption rates remain high by OECD standards, with community prescribing a key driver. According to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, around half of all antibiotics dispensed in primary care may be unnecessary.
Rapid diagnostics not only improve stewardship but also relieve pressure on hospitals by allowing more patients to be managed safely in the community — a policy priority both in the UK and Australia.
The bigger commercial picture
For Lumos, FebriDx is more than a public health intervention. It represents a potentially transformational commercial opportunity, particularly in the United States. The company lodged its application for an FDA CLIA waiver in August, with a decision expected between November 2025 and February 2026. A green light would allow FebriDx to be deployed widely across US primary care and urgent care settings, unlocking a market estimated at more than US$1 billion annually.
A major US distribution agreement with PHASE Scientific is contingent on that approval. If granted, it would trigger an initial US$5 million order and open the door to one of the largest point-of-care rollouts ever achieved by an ASX-listed diagnostics company. Additional funding support from US health agencies, including BARDA, underlines the strategic importance placed on AMR mitigation.
Turning evidence into action
The latest findings aren’t a breakthrough in themselves, but they add weight to a growing body of evidence that FebriDx works in everyday clinical settings, not just in controlled trials. What it underscores is how diagnostic certainty can reshape behaviour: fewer “just in case” antibiotics, fewer return visits, fewer hospital admissions. For patients, it means reassurance; for clinicians, confidence; and for health systems, savings.
More broadly, it offers a reminder that the AMR crisis is not inevitable. Practical tools already exist to make a difference, if they are adopted at scale. For Lumos Diagnostics, FebriDx could be that bridge — from awareness to action, and from antibiotic overuse to a more sustainable, evidence-based future.