Acrongenomics enters into memorandum of understanding with Molecular Vision, an Imperial Innovations spin-out company, to develop point-of-care diagnostic devices
Acrongenomics and Molecular Vision - an Imperial Innovations spin-out company - have signed a memorandum of understanding to embark on joint R+D to develop and commercialise a line of low cost, easy-to-use and readily portable point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices for medical testing that will greatly extend the tools available to the medical community.
The devices will allow for on-the-spot quantitative/qualitative diagnosis for diabetes, drug abuse, STDs and cardiovascular diseases.
The ability to perform accurate and fast diagnosis at first consultation will eliminate the need for patients to make repeat visits, thereby bringing forward the initiation of treatment, freeing up clinical time, and lowering treatment costs.
Furthermore, the technology offers potential outside the diagnostics market and will be of use to many specialists lacking access to on-site laboratory facilities.
The global POC testing market is estimated to reach US$18 billion by 2010 (BCC Research).
Molecular Vision's patented diagnostic chips have the potential to become a de-facto standard for medical testing.
They are based on a novel technology platform that will allow the development of readily portable POC devices for a broad range of medical applications.
They incorporate two powerful technologies: microfluidics and organic semiconductor devices (light emitting diodes and photodetectors).
Organic polymer light emitting diodes have been the subject of intense scientific and commercial interest since their discovery at Cambridge University in 1989 by Molecular Vision co-founder Professor Donal Bradley and his colleagues.
This early development led Professor Bradley and colleagues to found Cambridge Display Technology.
Professor Bradley is now the head of the Physics Department at Imperial College London and enjoys an international reputation for his organic semiconductor research.
In 2005 he was awarded the prestigious Jan Rajchman Prize by the Society for Information Displays for outstanding scientific and technical research in the field of flat-panel displays.
He also received the 2005 European Latsis Prize for Nano-Engineering, awarded by the European Science Foundation, for research on molecular-level control of the performance of organic semiconducting materials and devices.
Professor Andrew de Mello - Molecular Vision-co-founder - is a professor of chemical nanosciences in the Department of Chemistry at Imperial College.
He is a pioneer in the field of microfluidics.
In 2002 he was awarded the SAC Silver Medal by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Dr John de Mello - Molecular Vision-co-founder - is a senior lecturer in nanomaterials in the Department of Chemistry at Imperial College.
His primary research interests include organic semiconductors, miniaturized devices for chemical and biological diagnostics, and intelligent synthesis techniques for the controlled production of nanoparticles.
"There is a great demand for accurate quantitative and qualitative portable testing devices, and the POC market is still at an embryonic stage".
"Acrongenomics looks forward to working with leading research academics from Imperial College London", said Constantine Poulios, president of Acrongenomics.
"We believe that this collaborative effort between Acrongenomics and Molecular Vision in advancing medical diagnostics will be fruitful and rewarding for both companies".
