Ionian Technologies Inc and Roche Diagnostics Corp have entered into a collaborative agreement based on Ionian’s rapid isothermal nucleic acid amplification technology.

Under this agreement, Roche will identify new applications and customers for the technology and will bring these opportunities to Ionian. Roche will have exclusive manufacturing rights for these specific opportunities upon commercialization.

"We are excited by this collaboration as it allows Ionian to continue to focus on its core strengths, including technology and assay development, while leveraging the business development, sales, and manufacturing expertise of Roche, a worldwide leader in healthcare and diagnostics," said Andrew P. Miller, Chief Executive Officer of Ionian Technologies, Inc.

Ionian’s isothermal amplification technology, the NEAR Assay™ provides for detection of both DNA and RNA from bacterial or viral pathogens in less than 10 minutes. Furthermore, the technology is amenable to raw or unpurified samples, obviating the need for complex sample processing and purification steps. Based on these key attributes, Ionian’s technology is ideally suited for point-of-care and point-of-use settings.

Founded in 2000, Ionian Technologies is focused on commercializing its proprietary technology for the rapid detection of nucleic acids in various fields, including human in vitro diagnostics, food safety, biodefense, agriculture, and veterinary applications. Ionian is privately held and is based in San Diego.
Source: Ionian Technologies