Paris, May 20, 2008 —Magnisense, a diagnostics company that develops and markets magnetic immunoassays, today announces MIAplex™, a new magnetic bead technology that allows simultaneous multiparametric testing of biological samples, delivering improved speed and cost-performance ratios.
MIAplex™ builds on Magnisense’s MIAtek™, a robust and versatile detection technology making possible the development of magnetic immunoassays using magnetic beads as labels for monoparametric testing. It differs from Magnisense’s existing offer and competing technology by allowing the simultaneous use of several magnetic beads with varying magnetic properties for labeling several parameters in one sample – without the need for spatial resolution of key parameters. No other company worldwide offers such ability.
MIAplex™ has wide-ranging application potential, including medical and veterinary diagnostics, food inspection, environmental and security monitoring. The MIAplex™ approach is especially suited to biosensing of samples with practically unlimited volume. It can be used for example for testing drugs of abuse in drivers or occupational medicine, for infectious agents in blood, or for bacteria in foodstuffs.
The next step is the development of a full set of magnetic beads as labels for MIAplex™, followed by instrument development and proof-of-feasibility tests. Magnisense expects the first patents to be granted in 2008 while the technology should be ready for licensing in 2009.
“We expect this major advance to be attractive to partners in the immunoassay field and to enhance Magnisense’s reputation as the leading developer of this technology with skills ranging from theoretical and applied physics to diagnostic kit development and chemical synthesis,” says Magnisense CEO, Luc Lenglet. “What is more, this new technology makes the intellectual property portfolio of Magnisense much stronger and allows Magnisense to extend its offering dramatically to a growing segment of human in vitro diagnostics - multiparametric point of care testing. It makes Magnisense a more complete player in the diagnostics technology arena.”
Magnisense will demonstrate the depth and breadth of its expertise at the 7th International Conference on the Scientific and Clinical Applications of Magnetic Carriers in Vancouver, Canada from May 21-24, 2008 at the University of British Columbia through four separate contributions in talks or posters from company representatives, developers and users of the technology including scientists from the General Physics Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Moscow, Russia and the University of Paris 13, Paris, France.
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About Magnisense
Magnisense develops and markets magnetic immunoassays. These next-generation bioassays improve rapid diagnostic performance for human and animal diagnostics, food safety and environmental protection testing. They are based on magnetic bead markers, which can be used to achieve the accuracy of laboratory testing with the ease of use of rapid test methods.
Exploiting a unique feature of magnetic bead markers, Magnisense’s MIAtek™ technology provides true quantification of a large volume sample. The magnetic signal is free of interference from environmental factors, permitting a more sensitive and reproducible detection than possible with other surface-restricted approaches common in lateral flow rapid testing.
Magnisense is developing two test formats for different application areas:
MIAstrip™: Point of care testing with a single dose, producing objective, quantifiable and traceable results via a portable reader. MIAstrip enables the identification of a target via detection of known markers for a number of diseases including avian flu, cardiac disease, tetanus, and bacterial, viral, parasitic or mycotic infections.
MIAflo™: Disposable cartridges for detection of targets, such as bacterial contamination in food products, e.g. Listeria and Salmonella, or in water, e.g. Legionella, with a sensitivity that brings a significant reduction in testing time.
Founded in 2003, Magnisense has raised two rounds of financing for a total of EUR 6 million from Baring Vostok Capital Partners and private investors.
For further information: www.magnisense.com
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