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| Biochip helps to keep bugs at bay |
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The
Biochip can detect
and contain infectious diseases
quickly. |
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With a recent innovation
from the local medical field, we may very well
be looking forward to early detection and better
containment of
infectious diseases.
The Genetic Laboratory Biochip, developed by Attogenix
Biosystems, can detect infectious diseases in their
early stages as well as provide rapid and reliable
genetic-based health screening for the masses.
The development of the Biochip stemmed from the
need for
adequate diagnostic instruments to aid in preventing
and containing infectious diseases.
The World Disasters Report 2000 highlighted that
the greatest causes of death worldwide were infectious
diseases. In 1999 alone, 13 million perished from
diseases such as AIDS, malaria, respiratory illness
and diarrhoea.
Closer to home, the outbreak of SARS highlighted
the importance to detect infectious diseases early
so that outbreaks can be isolated
and contained.
There is thus a need for a diagnostic instrument
that can screen large numbers of people reliably
and cost effectively.
An adequate supply of funds was required to keep
the Attogenix
project going.
The Enterprise Challenge (TEC), which provides funds
for innovative proposals with the potential to create
new value or significant improvements to the delivery
of public services, provided $333,380 for trial
testing the innovation.
However, TEC’s support did not stop at providing
capital. Said Dr Farid Ghadessy, Chief Scientist
at Attogenix: “TEC has (also) helped by organising
the Global Entropolis event which we participated
in
last year. This event allowed for a global exposure
of the Attogenix diagnostic platform.”
The Biochip is a patent-pending technology comprising
the Microfluidics Reaction Array Biochip and the
Integrated Molecular Analyser.
The product is the world’s first portable
diagnostic tool that enables a large number of contamination-free
genetic bio-analyses using a novel microfluidics
technology.
Said Dr Ghadessy: “The trial was a success,
and the results are shortly to be submitted for
publication in an international peer-reviewed journal.
“We aim for the Biochip to be the gold standard
in diagnostics, available at point-of-care and enabling
better patient management for clinicians.”
The Genetic Laboratory Biochip will enable the current
complicated
PCR lab process in hospitals to be automated and
integrated in a
single machine.
Said Dr Ghadessy: “Unlike other systems, the
Biochip does not use external pumps, valves or centrifuges.
The Biochip allows the chemicals that are required
to detect a specific virus or bacteria to be incorporated
during manufacture. This reduces contamination issues
significantly and allows for numerous viruses and
bacteria to be detected simultaneously.”
Biochip is superior to competitors’ products
as it allows for large numbers of simultaneous analyses.
All its procedures are fully automated and integrated.
Furthermore, the patent-pending microfluidic technology
does not require on-chip micro-equipment and performs
rapid fluid distribution to prevent cross contamination.
While other products can only be used with at most
one other
diagnostic technique, the Biochip can be used for
several other diagnostic techniques such as SDA,
RT-PCR, IFA, ELISA, protein and cell analysis. |
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| By
TEC |
