Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE, OTC:ARRXF) has advanced its biochip technology a step further toward commercialisation, developing the first biochemical reactions for application in its lab-on-a-chip, proprietary technology.
The company is developing a biochip that would allow droplets of biological specimens to be processed and analysed using graphene-based sensor devices integrated in on-chip devices.
These new biochemical reactions have the potential to allow on-chip detection and quantification of specific DNA or RNA fragments relevant to viruses and bacteria.
They represent a major step toward providing potential reaction mechanisms for the biochip technology’s future operation and applications in disease detection.
The company’s technology is based on two key technologies, micro- and nanofabrication, and biochemical reactions for potential application in disease detection.
Last month, the company announced that it had successfully fabricated – on silicon wafers – nanosized biochip components inside hair-thin microfluidic channels required for the processing, mixing and transportation of biological specimens.
Read: Archer Materials passes key milestone in early-stage assembly of biochip components
“Significant achievement”
Commenting on the biochip development progress, Archer Materials CEO Dr Mohammad Choucair said: “This is a significant achievement, as the company has now, with its in-house capability, developed the biochemical foundations to potentially allow for future operations and applications of Archer’s biochip in the detection of various diseases.
“There are few examples of lab-on-a-chip technologies that detect nucleic acids without the need for PCR. Archer’s biochemical processes could potentially allow for on-chip detection of pathogens, with several practical advantages, including eliminating cold-logistics supply chain requirements and the need for PCR, if favourable.”
Shares higher
Shares have been up as much as 11% to an intraday high of A$1.36 while AXE's market cap pre-open was approximately A$303.3 million.
Nucleic acid markers are useful for monitoring states of health and disease, identification of pathogens and their strains, and the diagnoses of many diseases.
Polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, is a common technique use to analyse biological samples for known nucleic acids, but is highly sensitive to contamination, with studies showing that even the brand of Taq polymerase used in the process can affect results.
The techniques developed by Archer could potentially apply in conjunction with, or without, the use of PCR, potentially replacing the technique in specific circumstances.
About Archer Materials’ Biochip
Archer Materials is a materials technology company engaged in developing and integrating materials in quantum computing, biotech, and li-ion batteries.
The company is engaged in the development of innovative deep tech in quantum computing, biotechnology and reliable energy.
Archer’s biochip is lab-on-a-chip technology being developed to enable the complex detection of some of the world’s most deadly communicable diseases.
So far, the company has strengthened its fabrication abilities, worked toward best-in-class sub-10 nanometre fabrication established testing operations and recently fabricated and integrated nanosized biochip components in microfluidic channels on chip compatible substrates.
Archer is currently focused on micro- and nano-fabrication of the biochip device components and integrating these components with chemical reactions to detect diseases, which pose significant technological challenges to potentially commercialising lab-on-a-chip devices.