In September 2016 WHO-Europe stated “Europe is at a critical point with HIV. New diagnoses in the European Region recently increased by 76%”. WHO urges “an accelerated people-centered response” based on taking HIV viral-load (VL) testing out of labs and into local clinics where it is most needed at point-of-care (PoC). No such solution exists today. New disruptive innovations are needed to address this. AltraTech Ltd has developed three proven biotechnologies to capture, purify, and detect the HIV virus from a blood sample, in 40 mins, using proven HIV biomarkers. This enables life-saving clinical intervention, immediate prescription and therapy for the patient, and stops further spread of the virus. The three techniques are innovative. Their combination, in a portable battery-operated kit format, is disruptive. It offers the unique combination of portability, robustness, reduced cost, with simultaneous increase in accuracy, combo-detection of Hepatitis and other viruses, and elimination of refrigerated reagents. It will address the above crisis, the HIV-VL PoC market, and has the potential to disrupt the €1B viral clinical diagnostics market and displace RT-PCR diagnostics that have been used in laboratories for two decades. Following a successful SME-Phase-1 feasibility, the technology received a Seal-of-Excellence in Phase-2(PHC-12-2015) – exceeded funding threshold. TRL improvements have been made in 2016, and a new CEO, management structure, and new venture funding significantly enhances AltraTech capacity to commercialise EASIVIRAL and see it reach market acceptance. The outcomes will enable capture a market leading share of > 30% of the €210M PoC HIV-VL market, reach cumulative EBITDA for this product alone of more than €18M by 2024. AltraTech will create 75 new jobs during this time, grow its portfolio of granted patents on its disruptive EASIVIRAL technology, and increase the revenues, jobs, and competitiveness of its manufacturing supply partners

BeadCAP-DNA aims to create a world-first 30-minute on-site DNA test kit, for food provenance, thereby eliminating the 2 to 5 day wait for DNA results from a central Lab. This is achieved by a novel merging of molecular biology and semiconductor capacitive sensing in a single-use microfluidic disposable DNA test kit. No such solution currently exists. Our prototype has no molecular amplification, i.e. no risk of on-site cross-contamination. It has 3-orders of magnitude response, enabling qualitative and quantitative DNA detection. The first product version is defined with end-user customers as 8-multiplex, aimed at GMO detection & 8-food-species testing to 0.1% limits. 3 patents are pending. BeadCAP kits will address the huge un-met need for fast on-site DNA food diagnostics. Consumer trust will be significantly increased by on-the-spot DNA-ID-tests of food content and GMO’s. BeadCAP will help food processors and retailers eliminate costly quarantines and food recalls, food wastage, risk of reputational damage and loss of sales (e.g. ‘horse-burger’ crisis 2013). BeadCAP will also accelerate uptake of EURL regulations on DNA-testing of food and shell-fish, thus increasing food safety, and reducing food fraud, mislabelling, and adverse health issues. The AltraTech trans-disciplinary team has 30 previous patents and >100 years experience in semiconductors, molecular biology, microfluidics, venture-capital fundraising, and commercialization success. Our ambition is to scale up BeadCAP-DNA to €100M revenue in high-growth niches of the €4B food-test market, and become a full product solutions supplier and world leader in portable on-site point-of-use DNA diagnostics. We've raised €900,000 seed funds to date. In this SME-Inst-Phase-1 feas.study we aim to do DNA trials & investigate technical and commercialization risk reduction. We target Phase-1 final report on 30/11/2014, and aim to submit business-plan to 17/12/2014 SME-Inst-Phase-2 call, target up to €2M.

MEDLOC aims at the employment of multi-material 3D printing technologies for the large-scale fabrication of microfluidic MEMS for lab-on-a-chip and sensing applications. The concept is based on the combination of multimaterial direct-ink-writing method and an extrusion-based 3D printing pilot line, in order to fabricate microstructured detection devices with the ability to perform all steps of chemical analysis in an automated fashion. The functionality of these devices will be evaluated based on their ability to streamline all steps needed to obtain mobility and binding-based identity information in one continuous biochemical detection system. Optimum in-line control systems will be incorporated in various stages of the fabrication process, to achieve precise control and repeatability. Microfluidic MEMS are increasingly recognized as a unique technology field for the development of biomedical devices (BioMEMS), due to their functional performance on the microscale, at the dimensions of which most physiological processes are operative. Applications near micro- and nanoscale are promising in the field of intelligent biosensors, where it enables the monolithic integration of sensing devices with intelligent functions like molecular detection, signal analysis, electrical stimulation, data transmission, etc., in a single microchip.

Biotechnology startup Altratech Ltd was founded with the vision to transform molecular diagnostics through nanotechnology. We have developed and patented a novel technology for molecular testing of viruses and pathogens in non-clinical environments. This all-synthetic novel assay can detect and quantify DNA, RNA, Antibody, and Antigen molecular targets, from blood or saliva samples, in 20 mins, without any need of centrifuges or pipettes. This will enable market-disrupting products that have the simplicity of a pregnancy test and the performance of a laboratory PCR test. All molecular diagnostic systems today require biological amplification, i.e., polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Loop-mediated polymerase amplification (LAMP), or similar. This takes time, and requires trained personnel, refrigeration for enzymes, and specialised equipment for heating/cooling and optical detection. It is because of these requirements that there is no solution on the market today for the non-clinical detection, monitoring, and management of viral infections such as HIV, Hepatitis, Influenza, Malaria, Meningitis, Shingles, Dengue Fever, HPV, EBV-related cancers, and many more. Our solution is a molecular detection process that eliminates the requirement for biological amplification and optical detection. We have invented and patented the key breakthrough of detecting and quantifying genetic material, viruses, and pathogens using almost instant ‘electronic signal amplification’, with semiconductor sensing and digital readout. The Value Proposition to our target customers, who will be the world’s leading diagnostic companies, is the ability to licence a novel patent protected product, with a wider range of market applications compared to their current diagnostic products. This will facilitate their entry into new markets and increase gross margins in existing markets. This innovation will impact the €48B Diagnostics industry.