Skip to main content
Premium Trial:

Request an Annual Quote

Glyconics Launches with FTIR Technology to Detect COPD, Other Respiratory Diseases

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Glyconics, a UK firm using infrared spectroscopy to diagnose respiratory diseases, said today that it recently secured a contract from the Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare to validate its technology.

Glyconics is a recent spinout of Swansea University. Using technology developed Paul Lewis at the university's Centre for NanoHealth, the company aims to use Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to analyze sputum and identify biomarkers for COPD, which would allow for the differentiation of COPD from other respiratory ailments, Glyconics said. It added that the technology may also provide a "very early" indication of exacerbating disease in patients with COPD.

According to a spokesman for the company, Glyconics' technology analyzes "everything in the sputum sample," including proteins, sugars, nucleic acids, and can detect the disease and changes in it.

Glyconics will use the contract from SBRI Healthcare to conduct a six-month feasibility and validation study of the clinical performance of the technology. Larger clinical validation studies may also be conducted toward the end of the year.

SBRI Healthcare is an initiative of the National Health Service England to spur on new technology and improve the health of patients. With the SBRI Healthcare contract, Glyconics has developed a hand-held, miniaturized FTIR device for detection and monitoring of COPD by healthcare workers at the point of care.

Berwyn Clarke is CEO of Glyconics. He previously was a founder of Lab21 and was its CSO until 2012. Before that he was at Virco, Visible Genetics, and Bayer Diagnostics.