Prolight eyes business opportunity for plasma separation method
Prolight Diagnostics has secured European patent approval for its method for separating plasma from whole blood, utilized in the MicroFlex system. This separation technology presents a business opportunity as it can be integrated into other systems and adapted for use with various sample types. To gain deeper insights into the technology, BioStock contacted the company’s development partner, TTP.
Prolight Diagnostics is dedicated to advancing the development of its Point-of-Care (PoC) platform, Psyros, which is designed to assist in diagnosing acute myocardial infarction. Meanwhile, the company’s development partner, The Technology Partnership (TTP), focuses on the development of MicroFlex, a PoC system that enables ELISA testing in a small-scale format.
The MicroFlex system has a built-in centrifuge that directly loads the blood sample tube into the test cartridge. This enables plasma separation from whole blood within a fluidic consumable. The method was developed in collaboration with TTP.
Fast method
The separation method is similar to the conventional centrifugation methods used in central hospital labs but can be integrated into user-friendly Point of Care and distributed environments.
A key advantage of this method is its compatibility with larger sample volumes in a compact form when compared to standard plasma separation membranes, enabling the detection of different analytes for PoC systems such as circulating free DNA.
Extensive potential applications
The separation technology could expand business opportunities by being integrated into other disposable fluidic systems and applied to measure various samples, including blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and faecal samples.
– The extensive potential applications of this separation technology, even outside MicroFlex, further strengthen the commercial discussions that TTP is conducting, says Ulf Bladin, CEO of Prolight Diagnostics.
TTP comments
The separation method was developed for MicroFlex, which TTP is now developing. Under an agreement with Prolight, TTP is responsible for both potential development and driving external initiatives and discussions to secure an industrial partner. However, Prolight retains ownership of the intellectual property rights.
BioStock talked to Giles Sanders, Head of Diagnostics at TTP, to discuss the separation method and the business opportunities it presents.
First of all, how does the plasma separation method work?
– At the most basic, it is a centrifuge that separates the cells and liquid from the blood (plasma) in the same way that you would find staff doing in a hospital or automated in large central lab systems. There are a number of features we have introduced that enable a single sample to be processed quickly.
In what ways does this separation technology stand out from conventional technology?
– As noted above, perhaps the best thing about the technology is that it does not stand out from central lab processes. What is different is that it can be integrated into a cartridge – potentially with down stream assays such as those included in the Microflex. Compared to standard blood to plasma processing you find on a cartridge (typically a filter membrane), the volume of material that can be processed is considerably higher (up to 5 ml compared to ca. 50 microtitres with a filter approach).
How will the method and newly approved patent influence your business strategy?
– We identified the application of the technology several years ago and have found a number of parties with interest. The market has moved slowly due to post-Covid challenges, but we hope the granted patent may accelerate some discussions.
How do you envision this separation technology being incorporated into other diagnostic systems, beyond MicroFlex?
– There is a wide breadth of potential applications. For example, it may be a standalone device for rapidly processing and stabilising samples (indeed we have had discussions about applying this approach in space); it may be integrated into cancer diagnostics workflows where a blood tube is processed and circulating DNA analysed; and obviously, it may be employed in the MicroFlex system for undertaking multiplex immunoassays.
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