Multiple tests from a drop of blood Cincinnati, OH and San Diego, CA– February 17, 2015 – MiCo BioMed, has developed Optimiser™ Plus microfluidic microplates, the next generation of Optimiser™ microplates. Optimiser™ Plus microplates achieve two-fold improvements in limits of detection, dynamic measurement range, and reproducibility, than reported by typical competitors. The assay time versus typical competitors is also cut approximately in half for Optimiser™ Plus microplates. Each reagent, or sample addition, requires only 2-5 microliters of liquid (about 20% the size of a drop of blood). “MiCo BioMed continues along the path of making blood testing for patients possible with only a couple drops of blood needed for half a dozen or more diagnostic tests. This same, elegant microfluidic technology is already used for basic life science research,” stated Winton Gibbons, president and CEO for MiCo BioMed. “The new, enhanced product represents the culmination of focused research and development, to better meet the needs expressed by our customers. In addition to the new Optimiser™ improvements, MiCo BioMed is developing a low-to-medium throughput instrument, compatible with the Optimiser™ Plus microplates.” MiCo BioMed is also working to add genetic testing capabilities to the Optimiser™ platform. Optimiser™ microfluidic technology Optimiser™ technology is enabled by an elegant microfluidic reaction well.  Flow within the microfluidic well is accomplished by a passive, capillary-driven microfluidic design. This eliminates the need for the specialized microfluidic pumps and valves that are part of other microfluidic technologies. As a result, products based on Optimiser™ technology are more easily and reproducibly manufactured. The surface-area-to-volume ratio is 50 times greater compared to routine reaction wells. Consequently, reactions occur quickly, reaching 60% binding in 10 seconds, compared to 60% binding in 1 hour for standard technologies.” About […]

Cincinnati, OH – MiCo BioMed, a privately held firm with a dramatically improved diagnostic platform using its advanced microfluidic Optimiser™ technology, entered into a two-year, $1 million contract with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to develop a desktop instrument to test multiple cancer biomarkers using a fraction of a drop of blood, and 5 to 20 times less volume of reagents than current systems. It will have the additional ability to measure extremely low concentrations of the biomarkers on demand. “This NCI contract illustrates the significant value to cancer research of MiCo BioMed’s Optimiser™ platform,” said Winton Gibbons, president and CEO for MiCo BioMed. “In addition to oncology, MiCo BioMed’s cost-effective, commercial and commercial-ready technology can be levered in other medical fields, such as cardiology, allergy, and infectious diseases. It is currently available for high-throughput, automated clinical and research laboratories, and manual research. Additionally, point-of-care and desktop systems are in development.” Tests using multiple cancer biomarkers are widely used for cancer research. However, current detection platforms offer limited options. There are instruments that are fast and can work with low sample volumes, but are typically expensive and have limited sensitivity. Ultra-sensitive platforms are also expensive and may additionally require complex sample preparation steps and large sample volumes. MiCo BioMed’s Optimiser™ microfluidic technology solves these problems. It can cost-effectively and quickly measure multiple biomarkers using low sample volumes. When needed, the Optimiser™ platform can perform ultrasensitive tests using the same disposables and instruments. About cancer Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. The NCI estimates that in the United States there will be almost 1.7 millions new cases of cancer this year, with almost 600 thousand deaths. More than 40% of […]