PharmaDiagnostics is Granted US Patent for Innovative Nanoparticle-Conductive Polymer Technology

PharmaDiagnostics NV, a company developing and marketing a broadly-enabling, label-free screening technology that uniquely does not require specialized equipment, announces today that it has been granted a US patent covering its nanoparticle/conductive polymer composites. The patent is entitled "Stable metal/conductive polymer composite colloids and methods for making and using the same".

The company has discovered that, by coating its nanoparticles with a conductive polymer, the inherent sensitivity is greatly increased. This coating enhances the interaction of photons with the electrons on the particles' surface, thus increasing the signal generated when a molecule interacts with the composite. The composites are also very sensitive to the redox state of the interacting molecules, a physical property of a molecule that is important but often overlooked in the discovery process. The Company uses the technology in its redox potential assay which allows high throughput measurement of redox potential on standard laboratory equipment.

Label-free screening is currently an area of great interest in the market. PharmaDiagnostics' approach stands out as all other available label-free technologies require expensive dedicated equipment which restricts both breadth of application and compound throughput. PharmaDiagnostics' localized surface plasmon resonance technology (LSPR) is broadly enabling, with easy to use protocols, and is applicable to a range of assays for both small molecule and antibody screening and characterization. For the first time, label-free screening can be applied in high throughput applications.

"The grant of this US patent is clear recognition of the innovative nature and industrial applicability of PharmaDiagnostics' technology platform," said Dr David Ricketts, CEO at PharmaDiagnostics. "It is a key step forward for us and will enable us to maximize the commercial potential of our screening technology."