Nanoelectronics research hub imec (Leuven, Belgium) and miDiagnostics, a spinoff of imec that specializes in the development of point-of-care tests for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring several health conditions, have signed a nonexclusive licensing agreement for combining imec’s silicon chip technology in which aerosols and droplets from exhaled breath are captured for screening for viral RNA with miDiagnostics’ ultrafast polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology. The agreement enables miDiagnostics to kickstart the commercialization of a COVID-19 breathalyzer, as opposed to classical COVID-19 testing methods based on blood, saliva, or a sample from the nose/throat cavity.
In the past year, imec developed a breath sampler based on its silicon chip technology, and performed clinical studies with the university hospital and University of Leuven showing that the breath sampler is capable of capturing the SARS-CoV-2 virus in exhaled air, and detecting the viral RNA quickly and reliably. Imec also developed a sampling instrument integrating the breath sampling technology and ultrafast PCR test, and optimized the robustness and ease of use, to achieve a functioning proof-of-concept.
“Despite the vaccination campaigns, there’s still a great need for accessible and reliable rapid tests to curb new virus outbreaks or to avoid unnecessary quarantine,” says Katleen Verleysen, CEO of miDiagnostics. With the new license agreement, the company aims to make its ultrafast PCR technology currently used for nasal swabs also compatible with exhaled air. This first prototype will be tested at the airport in November 2021 in collaboration with Brussels Airport, Ecolog, and Eurofins Scientific, Verleysen adds.
imec is already investigating how its patented technology can also be applied to diagnose other infectious airborne diseases, and looking into its application in diagnosing diseases such as cancer.