Virogenomics, Inc. Awarded $2 Million National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Advanced Technology Program Grant to Develop Integrated Diagnostic Biosensors

    PORTLAND, Ore., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Virogenomics, Inc. today
 announced that the company has been awarded a $2 million grant from the
 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop a Sensor
 System on Panel (SSOP) that tests for many different biological markers in
 a single assay.
     Successful development of the SSOP could revolutionize research on and
 the diagnosis of multifactorial conditions such as autoimmune disease and
 allergy, enabling earlier treatment and the development of more specific
 therapeutics.
     Medical diagnostic methods typically test for a single "biomarker" that
 indicates a possible disease state. This approach provides only limited
 information because many diseases have multiple contributing factors and
 surrogate markers of interest. For that reason a single test can never
 provide a complete diagnosis. Autoimmune diseases, allergies, cancers, and
 infectious diseases can have many different causes and manifestations, and
 could be better diagnosed with devices that can test for many different
 markers in a single assay. Virogenomics has proposed developing such a
 device using transducers made with existing microelectronic manufacturing
 methods and is based on technology licensed from Oregon Health & Science
 University.
     The proposed Sensor System on Panel (SSOP) will include all the
 hardware and firmware required to do a complete analysis of the interaction
 of biological molecules and communicate the result. The SSOP will
 incorporate at least two types of transducers and several transducer
 sub-types as well as circuit elements for command and control functions.
 Each sensor will have many transducers, each with a specific protein
 attached. When a patient sample, either serum or saliva, is applied to the
 device, the SSOP will detect any proteins that bind to any of the proteins
 attached to the transducers. The device would be the size and shape of a
 typical USB flash drive, and could be read on a standard personal computer
 through a USB port. No current technology offers this level of flexibility
 in design, fabrication, and operation.
     Collaborators on the project include the Materials and Device
 Applications Lab within Sharp Labs of America, Directed by John Hartzell;
 Raj Solanki, Ph.D., Professor of Physics at Portland State University; and
 Arthur Vandenbark, Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Molecular Microbiology
 and Immunology, Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) School of
 Medicine and Senior Research Career Scientist at the Portland Veterans
 Administration Medical Center.
     "The ability to rapidly screen for multiple disease markers and
 antibodies in real time on a microchip will enable health care providers to
 make on-the-spot medical decisions," said Dr. Arthur Vandenbark,
 co-inventor of one of the biochip designs to be developed for use on the
 SSOP.
     "This grant is a catalyst. It brings together regional strengths in
 semiconductor manufacturing, diagnostic devices, and molecular immunology."
 said Jeff King, Ph.D., Chief Operating Officer of Virogenomics. "By teaming
 up with Sharp Labs for device expertise and semiconductor manufacture, OHSU
 for autoimmune and allergy expertise, and PSU for engineering of micro and
 nano materials, we have built a world class team."
     "We are excited about the opportunity to apply our biosensor platform
 technology to next generation diagnostic applications and create
 potentially ground breaking technology with our collaboration partners"
 said John Hartzell, Senior Director, Sharp Labs of America, (Camas, WA)
 "Sharp Labs looks forward to collaborating with leaders in the Oregon
 biotechnology community that have a track record of commercial development
 of diagnostic products."
     About Virogenomics
     Virogenomics is a privately held biotechnology company based in Tigard,
 Oregon. Virogenomics' business strategy is to identify and obtain rights to
 early-stage technologies, manage and develop these technologies to a
 critical phase, and then spin-off the developed technologies into new
 start-up companies. The autoimmune technology was spun-off in 2004 into a
 subsidiary named Artielle ImmunoTherapeutics. The stroke technology was
 recently spun off into its own entity, NeuroProtect, Inc. I D Biopharma,
 was formed via the consolidation of infectious disease technologies from
 Virogenomics and additional technologies from Oregon Health & Science
 University.
     About SLA
     Sharp Laboratories of America is the U.S. based research and
 development laboratory for Sharp Corporation, Japan. Sharp Labs is focused
 on performing fundamental and applied research that results in new
 technologies and innovations.
     About OHSU
     Oregon Health & Science University is the state's only health and
 research university, and its only academic health center. It is Portland's
 largest employer and the fourth largest in Oregon (excluding government),
 with more than 12,000 employees. It serves more than 184,000 patients, and
 is a conduit for learning for more than 3,900 students and trainees. As a
 leader in research, OHSU earned $307 million in research funding in fiscal
 year 2007. OHSU serves as a catalyst for the region's bioscience industry
 and is an incubator of discovery, averaging one new breakthrough or
 innovation every 2.7 days, with more than 3,500 research projects currently
 under way. OHSU disclosed 132 inventions in 2007 alone, and OHSU research
 has resulted in 33 startup companies since 2000, most of which are based in
 Oregon.
     About Portland State University
     Portland State University (PSU) serves as a center of opportunity for
 over 26,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Located in Portland,
 Oregon, one of the nation's most livable cities, the University's
 innovative approach to education combines academic rigor in the classroom
 with field-based experiences through internships and classroom projects
 with community partners. The University's 49-acre downtown campus exhibits
 Portland State's commitment to sustainability with green buildings, while
 many of the 120 bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees incorporate
 sustainability into the curriculum. PSU's motto, "Let Knowledge Serve the
 City," inspires the teaching and research of an accomplished faculty whose
 work and students span the globe. For more information visit
 http://www.pdx.edu.
     About NIST Advanced Technology Program
     The Advanced Technology Program bridges the gap between the research
 lab and the market place, stimulating prosperity through innovation.
 Through partnerships with the private sector, ATP's early stage investment
 is accelerating the development of innovative technologies that promise
 significant commercial payoffs and widespread benefits for the nation. As
 part of the highly regarded National Institute of Standards and Technology,
 the ATP is changing the way industry approaches R&D, providing a mechanism
 for industry to extend its technological reach and push out the envelope of
 what can be attempted. For additional information contact Michael Baum,
 NIST Public and Business Affairs Division, (301) 975-2763,
 michael.baum@nist.gov.
 
 

SOURCE Virogenomics, Inc.