Maverick system will be introduced with panels for autoimmune and immunoassay applications.
Genalyte raised $11.8 million in a Series B round of financing with new and existing investors to fund commercialization of its silicon chip-based multiplexing platform Maverick™ and initial panels for autoimmune and immunoassay applications.
The Maverick platform is based on an array of 1–128 microring sensors constructed using silicon photonics technology. Each array sensor can be individually addressed and functionalized with a desired probe, such as monoclonal antibody or ssDNA. The system works by drawing a sample from a 96-well plate into the plastic consumable containing the Microring Sensors, and the instrument then detects and reads protein binding to the sensor in real-time. The dedicated software uses real-time binding measurements to accurately quantify concentration.
Genalyte says the workflow requires either minimal or no sample preparation, uses no labels, and requires no incubation. Results are generated within 5–45 minutes depending on concentration and the type of assay performed.
The firm used its initial Series A round of financing to develop and refine the silicon photonics biosensor consumables. The latest injection of cash will allow it to launch the platform and develop a range of assays for multiple applications. Genalyte is currently seeking collaborators to work with the beta-version of the Maverick system.
“By using silicon-based technologies, we can provide customers with unprecedented system performance while leveraging the highly efficient production characteristic of traditional silicon-chip manufacturing,” comments Genalyte founder and CEO Cary Gunn. “During our four years of development, we and our academic collaborators generated a large number of peer-reviewed studies that provide important validation for the superiority of our detection data and the breadth of applications that are possible.”