Abingdon Health

Abingdon Health PLC is a UK-based company specializing in the development, manufacturing, and distribution of lateral flow rapid tests. Founded in 2008 by Dr. Chris Hand and Chris Yates, the company operates as a contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) and a contract research organization (CRO), providing end-to-end services for clients across various sectors including healthcare, animal health, plant health, and environmental testing.

The company's history is marked by strategic growth, including the acquisition of Forsite Diagnostics in 2012 and Concepta PLC's manufacturing facility in 2020. Abingdon Health went public in December 2020, listing on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange and raising £22 million. More recently, it has expanded its regulatory service capabilities through the acquisitions of IVDeology and Compliance Solutions (Life Sciences) in 2024 and opened a new laboratory and commercial office in Madison, Wisconsin, to grow its US presence.

Dr. Chris Hand, the co-founder and Executive Chairman, has three decades of experience in the medical diagnostics industry, including co-founding Cozart Bioscience Ltd, which specialized in saliva-based drug testing. CEO and co-founder Chris Yates also brings a background from CFO positions at other diagnostic groups.

Abingdon Health's business model is segmented into several areas: contract development, contract manufacturing, regulatory services, and product sales. It generates revenue through fee-for-service contracts for developing and manufacturing lateral flow tests for its clients, as well as through the sale of its own products. These products include the Abingdon Simply Test™ range of self-tests, Pocket Diagnostic® plant pathogen tests, and PCRD, a nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay. The company serves a global client base and works with partners to take projects from initial concept to commercial success, offering services like assay development, manufacturing, regulatory support, and commercialization.

Keywords: lateral flow test development, contract manufacturing organization (CDMO), rapid diagnostics, immunoassay development, medical device manufacturing, regulatory support services, point-of-care testing, animal health diagnostics, plant health tests, in vitro diagnostics (IVD), diagnostic equipment, contract research organization (CRO), assay development, tech transfer, commercial manufacturing, self-test kits, nucleic acid lateral flow immunoassay (NALFIA), Abingdon Simply Test, Pocket Diagnostic, Seralite.