U.K. Company Debuts New Biosensor for Infectious Disease Diagnosis

Talk about big first impressions.

United Kingdom-based OJ-Bio is making its maiden appearance at Medica 2012 World Forum for Medicine in Düsseldorf, Germany, by showcasing a new mobile phone-enabled biosensor that can diagnose infectious diseases like the flu.

The company’s technology combines specialist bio-sensor materials with advanced electronics in a small hand-held device for the accurate detection of illnesses from patient supplied samples. Importantly, the device can be used at the patient’s bedside or other point of care, such as a general practice surgery or pharmacy. Results are available within minutes because the system does not require laboratory analysis of samples.

For the last three years, OJ-Bio has worked with the United Kingdom’s Health Protection Agency to develop and test the new biosensor device. That period of research and development helped designers to hone the device’s ability to successfully detect three potent respiratory viruses more quickly than current methods—the Influenza A and B viruses, common flu strains previously linked to some major epidemics; and respiratory synctyial virus, a major cause of coughs and chest infections.

OJ-Bio has secured funds from the Biomedical Catalyst program (a new, integrated translational plan for the United Kingdom’s Medical Research Council and the Technology Strategy Board) to develop the device. Company executives claim Medica is an ideal launching pad due to its international audience (OJ Bio is demonstrating a working model of the biosensor in Hall 1, F11 through Nov. 17).

“Early diagnosis is vital in the treatment of diseases for millions of people,” said Dale Athey, chief executive of Newcastle-upon Tyne-based OJ-Bio. “Drugs are only effective in the first few days after symptoms appear and current tests, which involve laboratory analysis of samples, simply aren’t fast enough. Our new device provides a low cost test that dramatically improves the speed of diagnosis and treatment that should hit the disease at source and limit its ability to spread.”

OJ-Bio is a joint venture between Newcastle-based biotechnology company Orla Protein Technologies Ltd. and the Japan Radio Company (JRC). Orla provides the specialist biosensor materials that are combined with JRC’s advanced electronics capability to create the “biochip” technology platform.

The biochip allows the diagnostic device to analyse samples from the patient, with the results being displayed on a complementary hand-held reading device such as a mobile phone. JRC’s expertise in wireless technology also means that the detection devices can be wireless enabled, allowing connectivity to healthcare networks.

OJ-Bio now will embark on a program that involves new product design work and multi channel biochip development, alongside further investigation into the results reader and associated software needs.

The work will involve extensive input from doctors, nurses and other healthcare staff and will result in the development of a fully working device that can be used in extensive clinical trials. The technology that effectively diagnoses Influenza A and B potentially can be adapted for other infectious diseases.