NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Enigma Diagnostics has received a £1.8 million ($3.3 million) grant from the UK government’s Technology Strategy Board to help the firm develop its portable molecular diagnostics system.
The Porton Down, UK-based firm is developing a rapid, point-of-care system that will run DNA-based tests for infectious diseases. The funding will support its program to develop tests for sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, and healthcare-associated infections, such as methicillin-resistant Steprococcus aureus.
The company's portable, rapid, automated DNA analysis, or PRADA, system is based on proprietary technology, while real-time molecular assays for the instrument are being developed by researchers at the Centre for Healthcare Associated Infections at Nottingham University and Nottingham Trent University.
Privately held Enigma said that it holds an exclusive license to a portfolio of patents from the UK Ministry of Defence, as well as licenses from Applied Biosystems and Celera for the commercialization of real-time PCR instruments.