Press Release
Synergis Invests into Next Generation Point of Care Diagnostics Technology
10th April 2008
Synergis Technologies Ltd. has today announced that it has invested in Microvisk Ltd.
Microvisk has a technology which can be applied to the assays used to characterise blood coagulation. The technique measures changes in viscosity, a purely physical property, and thus more accurate and more adaptable than current diagnostics technologies. Conventional assays require chemical reagents and separation out of blood plasma whereas the Microvisk technique can work on whole blood
Microvisk is a spin-out from the Central Microstructure Facility (CMF), a department of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory specialising in the production of nanoscale structures.
The technology has been demonstrated to be a rapid, accurate low cost method of assessing the coagulation properties of human blood and therefore provides an opportunity in the point of care coagulation testing market. An important application is the monitoring of patients with heart conditions who are being treated by blood thinning drugs such as warfarin. The assessment of viscosity changes that occur as blood coagulates, is a market worth at least $800m
Although Microvisk’s technology is initially aimed at the medical diagnostics market, it has a wide variaty of industrial uses.
Terry Swainbank, Investment Director, Synergis Technologies stated, "This is an exciting investment and we look forward to being a part of the development of this next generation in point-of-care diagnostics technology. The Microvisk technology can perform all the blood coagulation assays that are currently performed, some only by expensive laboratory equipment and skilled operators. Furthermore, early clinical trials suggest that the Microvisk assay is more accurate than the competition ".
"Because Microvisk’s technology uses a physical measurement rather than a biochemical one, it is far more amenable to patient use than current systems”, said John Curtis, CEO, Microvisk. "It, therefore, provides a platform for both point of care and home use."
Vladislav Djakov, CTO, Microvisk added "Not only does the technology
have the capability to carry out mulitple simultaneous assays on a single
drop of blood, it has the potential to be licensed into every industry that
relies on viscosity data. "
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For further information on Synergis Technologies Ltd, please contact:
Sheryl Young, CEO
Tel: +44 (0) 207 932 0727
Email: Sheryl.young@synergistechnologies.com
Web: www.synergistechnologies.com
For further information on Microvisk. and all other media enquiries, please
contact:
John Curtis, CEO
Tel: + 44 (0)
Email:
NOTES TO EDITORS
Synergis Technologies Ltd. is as an investment vehicle
providing seed and early stage funds to help turn innovative research
from universities and leading Public Sector Research Establishments
(PSRE's) into significant commercial value. Many aspects of the commercialisation
process are difficult and new, from setting strategy to obtaining secure
funding. Synergis provides funds to bridge this gap, and through proactive
portfolio management helps build strategic value in the businesses
it invests in. In addition Synergis is almost unique in its ability
to provide access to follow on funding through its parent company,
Porton Capital. The financing capability of Synergis and Porton Capital
means that the companies in which they invest can grow without funding
constraints.
With its head offices in London, Synergis offers early stage and follow on funding for start-ups. With a dedicated team made up of former scientists, investment professionals, commercialisation directors and entrepreneurs, Synergis is able to understand the challenges faced by start-ups. Acting initially as an advisor to Porton Capital’s Synergis Seed Fund (SSF), Synergis is in the process of making investments on its own balance sheet.
The investment is made in conjunction with Rainbow Seed Fund