Diagnostics technology company Opteev Technologies filed a patent for a new multiplex biochip for respiratory infection diagnostics. The polymer-based biochip offers the potential to test multiple pathogens responsible for respiratory infections, including COVID, RSV, and Influenza, and precisely identify the specific virus or bacteria in under one minute, the company says.

This technology aims to pave the way for an ultra-rapid, portable, and accurate syndromic diagnostic device to empower healthcare providers with immediate results at their fingertips, according to the company.

The tiny biochip can directly detect whole viruses in real-time in both processed and unprocessed samples such as saliva or nasal swab and has demonstrated an accuracy rate of 99.49% with a notable limit of detection in its analytical performance evaluation. Furthermore, the biosensor achieves fine-tuned specificity by carefully selecting specific virus-binding peptides, enabling accurate identification of target viruses in complex samples. To ensure precise and reliable virus detection, the biochip utilizes artificial intelligence to optimize the frequency range effectively mitigating the impact of interfering noise signals.

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Opteev’s multiplex biochip will offer healthcare providers affordable syndromic testing with the ability to process samples at the point of care, allowing for the simultaneous detection and specific identification of multiple pathogens instantaneously, the company says. This technology will eliminate the need for speculation by providing healthcare providers with the critical information needed to deliver the most effective treatment options at the point of care.

“With the development of our multiplex biochip, we are revolutionizing point-of-care diagnostics,” says Mesfin Meshesha, PhD, MSc, vice president of Virology & Diagnostics at Opteev Technologies. “The potential of this technology to transform patient care, streamline operations, and reduce costs is truly remarkable.”

Opteev Technologies says it aims to push the boundaries of point-of-care diagnostics and welcomes potential collaborations and partnerships to further develop and commercialize its multiplex biochip. 

“Together, we can shape the future of diagnostics and unlock the massive potential of our game-changing multiplex biochip,” says Conrad Bessemer, Opteev’s Chairman and Co-founder.

Featured image: The Opteev multiplex biochip. Photo: Opteev