LexaGene Holdings Inc announced that it has completed the first stage of its agreement with the US Army’s Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), reporting a successful detection of anthrax spores on the MiQLab system.
The molecular diagnostic company is working to foster innovative biothreat defense capabilities which fall in line with DEVCOM’s current technology priorities. The agreement was signed in September 2021.
LexaGene’s MiQLab system can deliver specificity, and breadth of detection and can return results in approximately two hours. Its open-access feature is designed for custom testing so that end-users can load their own real-time PCR assays onto the instrument to target any genetic target of interest, the company said.
READ: LexaGene successfully demonstrates its MiQLab diagnostic tool for the first time at series of trade shows
“We are now progressing to the second stage of the Army CRADA, during which the MiQLab’s sensitivity and the quantitative ability for biothreat detection will be tested at the Army’s DEVCOM Chemical Biological Center at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland,” said Jack Regan, CEO of LexaGene.
He added: “Due to the Army’s facility and personnel availability, these studies are planned to begin during the week of November 15th, and we will ship multiple systems to the Army for this start date.”
Spores are particularly concerning for biothreat detection. According to Marina Basta and Pavan Annamaraju who wrote in a paper published with the NCBI in February 2021: “B. anthracis is a gram-positive spore-forming bacteria that are commonly found in the soil of endemic areas. It is one of the most common agents used in biological warfare.”
“Many factors make B. anthracis a good bioweapon. Its endospores can be placed into food, water, powder, and sprays, spreading the anthrax infection without anyone's knowledge, as endospores are microscopic, cannot be tasted or felt. In 2001, anthrax spores were used as a bioweapon in the U.S. They were distributed into letters delivered by the United States Postal system spreading anthrax infection among 22 mail handlers and customers," they continued.
Manoj Nair, director of applications and assay development at LexaGene commented: “For the first stage of the Army CRADA, DEVCOM sent LexaGene inactivated anthrax spores, so we could internally determine whether LexaGene’s MiQLab can successfully detect them.”
Nair said that in contrast to actively growing cells, a spore is the most dormant stage of a bacterium. They are formed in response to harsh conditions so they can survive until conditions improve. Spores have very thick walls that are hard to break, making detecting the genetic material inside the spore difficult.
“I’m pleased to report the MiQLab’s sample preparation is robust enough to successfully detect the anthrax spores from the delivered samples,” he said.
The Beverly, Massachusetts-based company is focused on developing molecular diagnostic systems for pathogen detection and genetic testing for other molecular markers for on-site rapid testing in veterinary diagnostics and biodefense.
Contact Ritika at ritika@proactiveinvestors.com