Biological Dynamics Awarded Grant to Develop the Next Generation of Smartphone-Enabled Tuberculosis Tests
/SAN DIEGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Today, Biological Dynamics announced it has received a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help address the pressing need of reducing the burden of tuberculosis (TB) in resource-poor settings.
The ultimate objective of this work is to develop foundational data demonstrating the feasibility of an affordable, smartphone-enabled, “sample-to-answer” TB assay that can be deployed at the point of care, delivering results and location-based care options to patients in areas with a high burden of TB. The technology is powered by Biological Dynamics’ novel isolation platform, Verita™, developed to isolate circulating biomarkers such as cell-free DNA and exosomes from whole blood, serum, and plasma without the need to pre-process samples. The company is currently applying the cutting-edge isolation capabilities of Verita to develop the next generation of lab and point-of-care tests for the early detection and treatment of cancer.
“We are honored to be awarded this opportunity to apply the cutting-edge isolation capabilities of the Verita™ platform toward the development of a radically simplified TB test that could bring a timely and accurate diagnosis to millions of people worldwide,” said Raj Krishnan, Ph.D., CEO of Biological Dynamics. “With the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we are taking the first step in the development of smartphone-enabled TB diagnostics that could fundamentally change how we diagnose and treat this disease.”
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one-fourth of the world’s population is infected with TB, resulting in 1.6 million TB-related deaths annually (1). The lack of portable, point-of-care TB diagnostic tools, limited access to affordable testing, and lack of follow-up care poses significant barriers to controlling this disease, especially in low and middle-income countries.
About Biological Dynamics
Biological Dynamics is an innovative diagnostic company committed to improving global cancer outcomes by empowering healthcare communities with accessible cancer diagnostics. Biological Dynamics’ proprietary technology platform, Verita™, isolates nanoparticles and macromolecules directly from whole blood, serum, or plasma without the need for pre-processing samples. The company is developing a portfolio of novel oncology products designed to enable early detection and individualized monitoring of cancer. In addition to lab-focused products, Biological Dynamics is also developing a smartphone-enabled portable version of the platform, with the goal of bringing blood-based DNA testing into the home. For more information visit us at www.biologicaldynamics.com and follow us at @BiodynSD on Twitter.
(1) Combating the Global TB Epidemic – CDC. (n.d.). Retrieved October 23, 2018, from https://www.cdc.gov/globalhivtb/who-we-are/about-us/globaltb/globaltb.html
