June 28, 2016
Ceres receives $980K award from US Department of Defense to adapt Nanotrap® Platform to capture immune markers from non-invasive sample types.
Ceres Nanosciences to collaborate with Tufts University and George Mason University to apply Nanotrap sample processing technology to capture panel of immune system markers for detection on the Quanterix Simoa platform
Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. (Ceres) today announced the commencement of a development program, funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DAPRA) of the US Department of Defense, to use Ceres’ Nanotrap® particle technology to assess methods of detecting panels of immune function markers in non-invasive sample types. During the 18 month performance of this program, Ceres will work in close collaboration with the Walt Laboratory at Tufts University, led by David R. Walt, Ph.D., university professor and professor of chemistry, to adapt the Nanotrap sample processing technology to assays developed for the Quanterix Simoa analyzer platform. Central to this program is the comparative analysis of immune marker detection across different biofluid sample types, including venous blood, urine, saliva, and capillary blood. Matched samples from healthy volunteers will be collected under an approved clinical study conducted at George Mason University over the course of 12 months.
“We are excited to apply the Nanotrap platform’s universal sample preservation and enrichment features to the industry leading performance of the Quanterix Simoa Analyzer,” said Ben Lepene, Chief Technology Officer and Director of R&D for Ceres. “The ability to use non-invasive sample types, like urine or saliva, to routinely detect the fluctuations of immune status biomarkers opens up new opportunities for critical health and wellness monitoring applications.”