Nanomics readies first product for market

Queensland University spin-out Nanomics BioSystems has released its first product based on its proprietary second-generation ceramic nanoparticle technology.

The product, OptoPlex, is a library of nanostructured particles designed to be used by life sciences researchers and diagnosticians. The micro and nano-sized ceramic beads (less than one-tenth of the width of a human hair), can be used to conduct a range of bio-assays.

"You can use the beads for a wide range of research -- genomics, proteomics, drug design and medical diagnostics," said Nanomics founder Prof Matt Trau, one of the inventors of the technology.

Crediting seven years of development by Trau and his UQ team, Nanomics CEO Jon Uldridge said he believed OptoPlex' uses were virtually limitless. "If we can meet all the criteria of accuracy, speed and price, then people will find all kinds of uses we hadn't anticipated," he said. "They can do anything, anywhere, anytime and for any purpose as long as they have the intellectual property rights. It makes life really easy for everyone."

According to Uldridge, the principle of the beads is relatively simple, "The ceramic beads don't have an optical signal of their own, so all you can see are the optical bar codes of the beads and the signals from the attached target fluorophores. We also include sophisticated software that looks at each and every bead and classifies them into groups and what targets they have found," said Uldridge.

"The beauty of the bead system is that can be use on an existing flow cytometer," said Trau.

Uldridge said Nanomics' ceramic beads had an advantage over the first generation plastic variety -- they are smaller, faster to produce, and of better quality. "We are trying to give [researchers] the tools -- something accurate, relatively inexpensive and fast," he said.

Nanomics has signed beta test agreements with some large US-based research laboratories and two Australian organisations wishing to develop diagnostic and genotyping tools using this platform. Nanomics is also in discussion with several OEMs, manufacturers of high-throughput analysers and flow cytometers and distributors of laboratory supplies for the use of the beads.

"We have a select number of customers for early testing over the next few months as we ramp up the manufacture," said Trau.

"The OptoPlex product currently has 50 members in beta testing and the commercial release in February will be about 100. In April 2006 we expect to expand the library to about 250 members," said Uldridge. "Within the pipeline we expect to release a 4096 member Optopex style library in the second half of 2006 and a 64 million member peptide library in the first half of 2007."

There is a large market for the product, according to Uldridge, "The total market for bioassays is US$30 million. We think we have an addressable market of US$500 million for OptoPlex and we would be happy to get 10 per cent."