New Biomarker Identified for Development of TB Assay

Identification of a new (second) biomarker for developing a tuberculosis (TB) assay will eventually help in faster detection of the disease by inexperienced personnel outside the laboratory setting.

The new biomarker discovery follows a cooperative research agreement between Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp. (Orangevale, CA, USA) and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (NM, USA), which represented a major step in developing a new point-of-care diagnostic system.

Biomagnetics is a developer of diagnostic systems and technology for human immunosuppressive virus (HIV), hepatitis, tuberculosis, cholera, and malaria. Development of assays for the two different tuberculosis biomarkers and cholera toxin is currently in progress.

The company is also developing diagnostic systems and technology such as waveguide-based advanced integrated optical biosensors (IOBS). An updated prototype bench top version of the integrated optical biosensor originally developed at Los Alamos for research purposes is now complete. Along with the updated instrument, an entirely new software interface to operate it has been successfully coded and integrated.

The new instrument is currently being validated for performance using well-characterized biological assays. This is another milestone following the Los Alamos National Laboratory-Biomagnetics agreement.

"We are very excited about the progress being made at the Laboratory, especially the assembly of the bench top version of the integrated optical biosensor," commented Clayton Hardman, CEO of Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp. He continued, "Now, we will be able to evaluate the assays on this instrument and eventually, start testing human samples for tuberculosis."

Related Links:
Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corp.
Los Alamos National Laboratory