Dutch lab-on-a-chip attracts US firm
labs-on-a-chip developed at the Technical University of Delft in
the Netherlands that could be on the market in the next two years.
The chips include two to measure compounds involved in cell metabolism and a third that could improve polymerase chain reaction, a widely used approach for amplifying DNA from mixed samples.
WaferGen started operating in California in January and develops tools so-called 'active chips' to increase data collection and analysis opportunities throughout the R&D process, and this is one of its first external collaborations.
The Delft technology was developed by researchers in the University's Intelligent Molecular Diagnostic Systems programme, headed by Prof Ted Young.
The specific chips covered in the WaferGen agreement were developed by PhD student Ventzeslav Iordanov of the faculty of Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science at Delft.
One of them measures the presence of the substance NADH, which plays a role in the conversion of sugars into energy. The second chip registers conversion of ATP molecules, which deliver energy to cells. Finally, in the third chip, Iordanov developed a system that quickly replicates small pieces of DNA via PCR.
In return for the licences, TU Delft will receive royalties and shares of WaferGen.
WaferGen's K2 platform has been developed to improve the data collected from experimental reactions without increasing the cost. The platform incorporates electronics into each well of a microfabricated silicon wafer - something claimed to be a unique feature - to enable control over individual conditions.
The wells contain their own heating and cooling systems capable of starting and stopping reactions and providing key information about temperature dependence. Many types of detectors can be use within the same well.
An alpha version of the K2 system, featuring arrays of photodiodes, is being shown to potential customers.
Meanwhile, WaferGen also has a floating gate technology that can detect a change in charge as small a magnitude as 500 electrons, and a proprietary method for dispensing low volumes into the wells.
"These labs on a chip can work with much smaller samples than regular equipment and measurements become quicker and cheaper. They will be applied in bioreactors with a content of only a few nanolitres, where measurements with other equipment can be done simultaneously," said TU Delft.
Alnoor Shivji, WaferGen's chairman, said: "By replacing passive microplates and biochips with active silicon devices we expect to be able to deliver a highly sensitive tool for real-time data acquisition."
The company claims that the K2 platform has demonstrated significant productivity gains in the area of high throughput screening (HTS), a market that it says should top $500 billion (€410bn) by 2006. WaferGen is also planning products that will serve the growing areas of cell-based assays.
