Oxford Immunotec Case Study

Client Profile and Issue

Oxford Immunotec Ltd. is a specialist T-cell immunology company who develop and sell products based on T-SPOT™ technology that opens up new ways to diagnose and monitor infection. Their first commercial product to use T-SPOT technology is T-SPOT.TB, a blood test used to test for latent and active tuberculosis (TB) infection.

With growing rates of TB infection in the UK, coupled with a current testing regime which is over a century old, Oxford Immunotec realised the need to engage with the public policy making environment to promote their T-SPOT™ technology and to improve diagnostics in the UK.

Our Strategy

With the knowledge that the current testing regime for TB was developed 115 years ago, and delivers low accuracy rates, in comparison to the 96% accuracy of T-SPOT.TB, and in addition that the test, the Mantoux skin test, is unlicensed in the UK, it was clear Oxford Immunotec required immediate meeting programmes with senior parliamentarians and officials leading on the development of TB diagnostics. An audit of health policy in this area told us that the Chief Medical Officer had recently advocated using technological advances to control rates of TB, and that the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) were undertaking guidelines on TB Management. Influencing the latter would be the primary objective and communications were sent from MPs, Peers and Shadow Secretaries of State to NICE to endorse the uptake of T-SPOT.TB.

Outcome

Substantial headway was made, with T.SPOT.TB identified as the most appropriate test for patients who are immunocompromised , advised now to all health practitioners. The NICE guidelines acknowledged T-SPOT.TB, but do not go far enough. A commitment has been given by officials at the Department of Health to press for these guidelines to be re-visited in light of further evidence of its efficacy.

Oxford Immunotec have garnered in a very short period of time much support across both Houses, the three main parties and amongst officials, with encouraging answers given on the Floor of the House of Lords and in answers to parliamentary questions in the Commons.