nir-vana innovation network

The medical technology has been developed to immediately detect diagnostics with proper treatment at home beyond hospital care at medical institutes. It is vital to create accurate and rapid diagnostics without the involvement of medical professional or large equipment.

In particular, the blood, staple biomaterial for diagnostics includes various biomarkers most of which are proteins in plasma. Currently, the centrifugation technique is primarily used for blood plasma separation in medical institutes but it is only operated as power is supplied. The blood pre-treatment techniques for point-of-care in the market require a large amount of blood (hundreds of ul and takes about 30 minutes to get the test results, meaning that it can be unsuitable way on the spot in most cases.

Otherwise, since the technology simplifies the function of medical devices and does not require a power supply, it is easy to use even for non-medical staff and able to be used in various emergency cases. Additionally, it enables plasma to be obtained from a small amount of blood, allowing non-specialist to take the blood pre-treatment steps.

Blood plasma separation chip technology works in a small circular container with a small permanent magnetic installed at the top and membrane filter layered for removing blood cells. After about a minute of that a small amount of blood is injected into plasma separation chip, its external magnetic force allows small permanent magnetic to compress membrane filter then plasma component is ejected to the outside of the plasma separation chip.

The technology is applicable to the various blood-based diagnostic area, especially for point-of-care diagnostics rather than large hospitals. Thus, companies or research institutes, engaged in emergency medical services requiring ultra-fast diagnosis, home medical services for non-specialists, can be the main partners.

The Korean R&D institute who developed blood plasma separation chip technology for point-of-care diagnostics is now looking for global partners under a license agreement, technical cooperation and commercial agreement with technical assistance.

Advantages & innovations

It is found that there is no alternative of the blood plasma separation chip technology for point-of-care diagnostics which is currently in an advantage position. Thus, it is expected that any organisation hoping for this technology transfer is able to dominate the market in advance. - Easy to use for non-medical staff - Able to use on no-power mode - Able to collect plasma from small volume of blood (10~50uL) - Able to use undiluted whole blood - High rate of removing blood cell - High efficiency of separating blood plasma - Short operating time (about 1 min) - Low-cost - Able to apply to various pre-developed biochips - Able to add various functions as it is an additive structure - Able to be used in a wide range of diagnostics applications through applying blood pre-treatment technology in emergency cases

Stage of development

Prototype available for demonstration

Partner sought

- Type of partner sought : Companies, public institutions, private institutions which deals with blood-based diagnostic or point-of-care - Specific area of activity of the partner : any companies and institutions in need of blood-based diagnostic or point-of-care - Task to be performed : Technology transfer, R&D cooperation or technology cooperation for new product development, licencing