SMi Systems secures patent for single-molecule imaging tech

Life science technology company SMi Systems has secured a patent from the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) for the single-molecule imaging technology that underpins its super-resolution multi-omic platform. According to SMi, the patented technology consists of highly specialised optics that allow the company to view single molecules at unprecedented resolution.

When combined with SMi’s consumables and deep learning techniques, the technology offers a user-friendly platform for rapid single-molecule detection. Such capabilities should significantly accelerate disease diagnosis and the discovery of new therapeutics.

Single-molecule imaging provides irrefutable evidence that a molecule is present in a sample. In drug development, such details about individual molecules help researchers to efficiently select promising drug candidates and track their performance in later clinical trials. For diagnosis, it enables earlier disease detection and can improve the monitoring and treatment of disease progression — potentially transforming how we manage diseases such as cancer.

SMi’s multi-omic platform, powered by its now-patented optical technology, provides imaging, detection, quantification and analysis of single molecules in milliseconds per sample. Importantly, the instrument’s design has been strongly influenced by the needs of end users in both research laboratories and hospitals, resulting in an instrument that is easy to operate regardless of the user’s level of experience.

“Our patented technology enables non-specialists to analyse therapeutic candidates and patient samples in a fraction of the time it would normally take,” said SMi CEO Dr Andrew Thompson. “This will help pharmaceutical companies to bring life-saving drugs to market much faster and at a reduced cost. For healthcare professionals, it will open new opportunities for routine screening and provide the information that is needed by clinicians to make informed decisions more quickly.

“Our scientists and engineers are making significant advancements using SMi’s unique approach and the revolutionary nature of this technology will open up numerous opportunities for expansion of our IP portfolio.”

The UK IPO is the first to grant a patent that will protect SMi’s innovation, with the company expecting a favourable outcome in other patent jurisdictions where the patent is being examined — including Europe, the US and multiple territories in Asia. SMi recently filed further patents relating to different elements of its complete multi-omic platform, to ensure its intellectual property remains protected.

Image caption: The patented technology forms part of a new multi-omic platform that accelerates biomedical research and transforms in vitro diagnostics.