Picodya, the creator of a hybrid in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) solution for multiplexed point-of-care testing (xPOCT), announced the deployment of its B-Matrix technology in National Institutes of Health (NIH) laboratories.
This deployment may enable large-scale global serologic surveillance with real-time monitoring of the immune status of human populations and detection of viral outbreaks, which could further the PREMISE (Pandemic REsponse REpository through Microbial and Immune Surveillance and Epidemiology) goal of establishing a preemptive repository of candidate immunobiological countermeasures, the company says.
The B-Matrix Platform
Picodya’s B-Matrix platform is an xPOCT IVD solution that performs both molecular and immunoassays from many body fluids on a single platform. The hybrid and scalable technology aims to deliver lab-comparable test results in a single patient encounter, considerably shortening the diagnostic timeline.
“With our knowledge of the devastating impact of Covid-19 on global health and following years of research collaboration with the NIH for crisis preparedness, we are proud to proceed with the next phase of this important partnership,” says Tzvika Barkai, founder and CEO at Picodya. “We remain dedicated to enabling timely, precise, and comprehensive disease diagnosis capabilities to optimize potential outcomes. We plan to introduce the B-Matrix solution to additional research labs across the US, followed by the broader clinical market.”
Further reading: NIH Grant to Fund Point-of-Care Diagnostics Development Center
The NIH and its National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) established PREMISE in 2021 to prepare for pandemic outbreaks. PREMISE partnered with Picodya during initial phases of development to install the B-Matrix technology at NIAID Vaccine Research Center’s (VRC) laboratories to detect reactivity to multiple potential pandemic threats. The program was presented by Daniel Douek, MD, PhD, to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in September 2021.
“Over the past two years, our team has established a global network of partner sites to meet the PREMISE objective of increasing immunologic monitoring of targeted human populations across the globe,” says Daniel Douek, MD, PhD, chief, Human Immunology Section at NIH Vaccine Research Center; Director, PREMISE pandemic preparedness program and Picodya advisor. “We appreciate the significant benefits the B-Matrix platform could bring to the PREMISE program, enabling multiplex testing at scale with high accuracy. The platform is easy to operate and uses low sample volume, which therefore has the potential to accelerate effective discovery of new products for vaccine design, early development, and clinical product testing.”
Picodya conducted a feasibility analysis for the B-Matrix platform showing the system is suitable for performing dozens of immunoassays and molecular tests, including COVID, influenza, HBV, EBV, prostate cancer, and cardiologic markers. The B-Matrix diagnostic system is currently being adopted by global research facilities to help streamline timelines and reduce costs. The company has initiated its regulatory pathway and following approval is expected to be available for use in a variety of healthcare settings and large-scale venues.
