By Tim Shih, Sales and Marketing Managing Director, Vincogen
Subscribe"The greatest technology since the web". "The most important technology in the 21st century".
These are just some of the things that are being said about Radio-Frequency Identification, the base technology for Vincogen Corporation founded in 1999. In effort to product the next life-saving diagnostic tool or drug, both diagnostic firms and pharmaceuticals have turned to biotechnology for tools that can overcome the first process obstacle: Detecting and profiling diseases at any stage in their development.
With the achievements in genomics setting the direction, these firms are looking to the emerging science of proteomics for diagnostic and drug-screening tools that analyze proteins to profile diseases.With the combination of proteomics and Vincogen’s innovative proprietary radio-frequency biochip platform, the sky’s the limit across the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industries.
Diagram 1. Vincogen operational plan
In a brief description of the base technology, Vincogen’s ICBioChip will be the only micro array platform to use the Electrochemiluminescence substrate and transfer the electricity wireless through radio-frequency or directly measure the ligand-ligand interaction that can be as low as 10-12 molarity. Additionally, the ICBioChip has an integrated circuit that can be used as a diagnostic tool as well as a time saving drug screening device.With this technology, Vincogen will be able to incorporate its ICBioChip onto various diagnostic applications with the flexibility for continuous advancements.
Today, the problem is that one of the market’s most promising tools – protein biochips – has three major faults.They are as follows:
- Current biochips, defined as small squares of silicon with solid-state materialsattached to the surface, lack reliability as a diagnostic tool.
- Existing biochips cannot achieve acceptable throughput rates.
- The infrastructure required to analyze biochips is expensive.
So what are the advantages in using the ICBioChip?The ICBioChip can be distinguished from competing biochips by its lower cost and higher throughput rates.The ICBioChip can drastically improve existing diagnostic platforms such as lateral flow tests and amperometric biosensors, with the option of continuing advanced upgrades.
Biomedical researchers, physicians, and veterinarians will use the ICBioChip to more effectively detect and diagnose diseases in less time, at less cost, and with more reliability that the current solutions on the market. Pharmaceutical firms will use the ICBioChip to efficiently screen and test the efficacy of potentially life-saving drugs.All three major obstacles mentioned above will be overcome by a single, complete ICBioChip.Eventually, Vincogen will develop nano radio-frequency biochip and assay based on the proprietary RF biochip platform to meet all future demands.
Diagram 2. ICBioChip Competitive advantage compared with other chips
The future for Vincogen is very bright. Molecular diagnostics is believed to be a $5 billion market in four years.In the pharmaceuticals market, a single “blockbuster” drug can generate millions in annual royalties.The business of supporting research in the new field of proteomics, primarily via the provision of protein biochips, is projected to grow by approximately 1000% between 2003 and 2009.There are endless possibilities for Vincogen in this emerging market.
Worldwide Market Growth Projections:
Molecular Diagnostic Produccts, 2001 - 2006
(in billions)
Source: Ernst & Young, Molecular Diagnostics Industry Analysis, December 2001.
So what does Vincogen has to offer you may ask? Below is a list of reliable, cost saving, and time efficient products and services Vincogen plans to offer during the next five years of operation.
- Biotechnology industry with RFID chip platform: To compete with the existing microarray platform (e.g. glass slide and membrane).
- Pharmaceutical High-Throughput Screening (HTS): To reduce the cost and increase the efficiency of time-consuming drug screening process.
- Disease and Toxicity Database Subscription Service: Data service derived from research using the ICBioChip concerning diseases and a wide variety of molecular compounds.
- Bioinformatics Database: To ascertain the presence of disease and profile its particular behavior and build a bio-informatics database.
- Lateral Flow Tests and Lab-on-Chip Rapid Diagnostics: Lateral flow tests and Amperometric biosensor to test various targets for R&D and clinical purposes.
- Biosensor: Amperometric biosensor device for toxin and viral diseases.
With all the innovative ideas and technology from Vincogen, who may benefit from all of this? There are several target customers that will gain from Vincogen and its ICBioChip base technology.
- Biochip Companies – Introduction of radio-frequency biochip platform to manufacture gene, protein, chemicals, or cell microarrays.
- Pharmaceutical Companies – Drug companies development of new drugs
- Clinical Diagnostics Service Providers – Companies that provide diagnostic services to physicians, patients, and hospitals.
- Healthcare Service Providers – Physicians and large for-profit and not-for-profit hospital chains and health maintenance organizations that may choose to provide diagnostic services at the point of care.
- Food Companies and Animal Product Suppliers– Suppliers and purveyors of animal-derived products for human consumption.This includes seafood and meat.
- Veterinary Medicine Practitioners – Veterinarians and animal hospitals treating pet illnesses as well as animals used in industry and agriculture.
- Government – Various departments of country security, departments of defense, and departments of bio-defense.
- Consumers – Lateral Flow Tests and Amperometric biosensor device.
Diagram 3. Vincogen plans to operate within these three industries
What makes Vincogen’s ICBioChip more advanced and unique to other biochips is because of its innovative radio-frequency technology.The ICBioChip, also knows as the “Novel Integrated Circuit Chip for Bioassays” is protected by U.S. patent number 20040029109. Global and PCT patent applications have also been successfully filed and Vincogen is now waiting for patent approval from over 20 different global locations.Patent approval has successfully been granted by the country of Argentina.Features patent protected by Vincogen not currently found in other biochips include:
- A Radio Frequency Identification System (RFID).
- A metal option that uniquely identifies the chip through the RFID system without the need for internal memory.
- A transponder to which solid state antibodies, antigens, or other biological molecules are fixed with a phage or peptide display system.
- An electrode to deliver the electricity to Electrochemiluminescence substrate.
- Vincogen data management through RF chip, internet and wireless for Bio-IT network with security measurement.
- Bio-MEMS and nano-size availability.
- RF directly measurement of the ligand-ligand interaction low to 10^ -12molarity.
From all of this unique and innovative technology, Vincogen brings much value to the biotechnology industry.Vincogen is able to distinguish itself through its ability to:
- Overcome the problems of biochips currently in the market.Vincogen’s chips will be low cost, highly efficient, and capable of higher throughput rates.
- Perform multi-potential flexibility of platform for assay, cell based drug screening, and gene expression profiling.
- Reduce the cost and time required to bring drugs to the market.
- Bring significant benefits to patients and end-users.
- Bring the most advance diagnostic system that combines both semi-conductor and biotechnology industries.
Vincogen is currently moving along smoothly towards the goal of significantly contributing to the world with their biotechnology innovations.With strong values in hand, Vincogen never plans to stray from their vision for worldwide benefiting achievements.Vincogen also welcomes any businesses or investors that may present an opportunity for a mutual benefiting joint venture or collaboration.Armed with a strong foundation and the newest innovative technology, Vincogen is indeed ready to be the next hot company.
Web: www.vincogen.com
Tel: +1-732-247-8972