NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – British technology and product development company TTP announced today that it has launched a startup called Cellular Highways with the goal to commercialize its Vortex-Actuated Cell Sorting (VACS) technology and fast track the development of its first product, Highway 1.
According to TTP, the VACS technology will help develop new cell therapies, liquid biopsy diagnostics, and high-throughput drug discovery applications. The technology consists of an enclosed, sterile sorting chip that enables researchers to type cells according to molecular markers and sort them into separate outputs.
TTP said that it has invested £1.7 million ($2.2 million) in the spinoff, in addition to more than £2 million in development funding to date. Cellular Highways will be located at TTP's Melbourn Science Park headquarters.
TTP highlighted that the technology is multiplexable, allowing scaling to up to large batches of cells —nearly a billion — at a high speed to support cell therapy and diagnostics development. Based on the VACS technology, the Highway 1 product uses a sterile sort microfluidic cartridge that researchers can use to eliminate risks linked to biohazardous aerosols and cross-contamination.
As part of Cellular Highway's launch, TTP has appointed Salman Samson Rogers as the spinoff's CEO.
"Powered by VACS technology, our instruments will reduce the cost and complexity of cell sorting and will be easy to operate," Rodgers said in a statement. "We are interested in hearing from beta testers, research partners, new colleagues, and anyone with an interest in better cell sorting."