Tech Tuesday: Sophisticated molecular testing and DNA analysis reach larger populations in developed countries
Tech Tuesday is an ongoing series profiling the Forum’s Technology Pioneers. The Tech Pioneers are companies that have been recognized by the Forum for groundbreaking and innovative approaches in tackling some of the world’s most wicked problems. Each week we will showcase some of the 2012 Tech Pioneers. You can learn more about the Technology Pioneer Programme on the Forum's website.
Biocartis develops a protype platform that promises to make molecular testing economically viable for limited sample runs and accessible to small and medium size labs
Molecular testing is expected to usher in a new era for healthcare, but current methods are only economically viable when large batches of specimens are tested in centralized laboratories that are expensive to operate. Swiss-based Biocartis plans to simplify the process. The company is developing a console and on-site equipment that uses amplification technology to analyse biological samples consisting of blood, urine, sputum or other body fluids with specific molecular bio-markers and transmits the results to a laboratory, doctor’s office or a hospital. Since the system is fully electronic and does not rely on the tubes or bottles normally used in laboratories, it does not require econtamination. The procedure is simple enough for a technician to perform who is not a trained molecular biologist. Depending on the complexity of the samples, results can be available in as little as 45 minutes. Biocartis’ goal is to decentralize the testing process and to make it as widely available as possible without sacrificing accuracy. If Biocartis’ prototype can be scaled up for commercial production, it promises to accelerate the pace of molecular testing making cutting edge medical science available to a vastly larger public.
Rudi Pauwels, Chief Executive Officer and Founder
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Number of Employees: 45
Year Founded: 1997
Biocartis SA
EPFL – Quartier de l’Innovation Bâtiment G
1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 21 694 0430
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