NEW YORK – Alveo Technologies said on Tuesday that it has partnered with Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI to develop molecular diagnostic tests for the veterinary space.
Under the partnership, Alveo will provide its be.well platform, a rapid, handheld, reusable, and rugged multiplexed system that utilizes cloud-enabled data analytics and Alveo's patented loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method for the direct electrical sensing of nucleic acid amplification. Fraunhofer IZI will use the platform to design novel LAMP assays for veterinary testing.
"We are impressed with the near-limitless possibilities of Alveo's be.well platform and look forward to collaborating to build out their library of tests," said Dirk Kuhlmeier, head of the diagnostics department at Fraunhofer IZI, in a statement. "Diagnostics is one of the four areas of focus for Fraunhofer Health, and moving testing closer to the point of need is a strategic imperative for us."
Alameda, California-based Alveo Technologies said the partnership phases include defining the market and product requirements, primer screening and assay development, and transfer of the assay to the be.well cartridge where it is optimized and validated using Alveo's Impact data analysis and testing software suite.
Clinical trials or field studies are then conducted to verify the assay and validate the platform. Alveo will develop and launch the be.well mobile app, and the partners will collaborate on commercialization plans, with Alveo manufacturing the final product.
Fraunhofer IZI joins a roster of other commercialization partners for Alveo, including the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation. Alveo has also partnered in the agricultural space to design crop- and animal-specific assays to detect and analyze pathogens in the field.