SLS Bio said it has registered a patent related to its nanotechnology multiplex diagnostic (NTMD) technology in Europe.

The NTMD technology, co-developed with Dankook University, is an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), which is a precise analyzer that binds nanobeads to the antibody of a target virus or biomarker. It allows researchers to measure the mass of nano-beads and the expression level of viruses and biomarkers.

The company is developing various biodiagnostic kits based on the technology, including a Smart Multiplex H3 Kit, a multi-diagnostic kit that can detect three diseases -- hepatitis B (HBV), hepatitis C (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

Until now, standard diagnostic kits mainly used an immune method called enzyme immunoassay and PCR (polymerase chain reaction), a nucleic acid amplification technology, for measuring and diagnosing HBV, HCV and HIV. Although these two methods are relatively accurate, the accuracy decreases when the sample concentration is not suitable for the test, and limits their ability to diagnosing only one type of virus at a time.

By using NTMD technology, however, it is possible to confirm the existence of multiple viruses with one test and maintain high inspection accuracy regardless of the concentration of the sample size. SLS Bio plans to commence clinical trials in cooperation with major medical institutions in the first half of next year.

“This technology can be used not only for virus diagnosis but also for cancer diagnosis and antibiotic residue test,” a company official said. ”We plan to expand the scope of technological application through continuous R&D and technology advancement.”

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