Frankfurt am Main - Nanostart AG has made an investment in the American company BioMicro Systems, Inc. The company, which was founded in 2000 and is based in Salt Lake City, manufactures components in the nanotech area for use in biotechnology, and especially in genetic engineering.
BioMicro produces microarrays - these are microlabs with functional units in nanometer dimensions, which can be used to examine a large number of samples simultaneously.
The BioMicro products currently on the market are based on complementary hybridization, also called the "key-lock principle". In this process, biomolecules (the "lock"), e.g. the genetic material DNA, are arranged in high concentrations and density on a substrate made from glass or other materials. Free-moving marked molecules of the test sample (the "key") are attached to this substrate. The free-moving particles of the sample combine with the fixed probe molecules – in other words, each "key" fits only one "lock".
Microarrays are instruments that will pave the way for increasingly individualized forms of therapy. They are, at the present time, the most promising development in the field of diagnostics. Microarrays make it possible to bring samples that have hitherto been analyzed in large-scale central labs back into doctors’ surgeries. They can help practitioners to rapidly find the best medicine for each patient.
This new revolutionary method is superior to conventional analytical methods in virtually every respect. The analysis can be carried out in an extremely small space. Furthermore, it cuts down on the use of valuable sample material – a single drop of saliva or blood is sufficient – and thousands of analyses can be accommodated on a single microarray. Every probe molecule replaces a classical test in a test-tube. The doctor receives the result within minutes, and can very quickly provide information on the patient’s medical condition, the stage of that condition, and the best methods of treatment.
"Our stake in BioMicro Systems represents a consistent addition to our portfolio", says Marco Beckmann, CEO of Nanostart AG. "Thanks to its technology, the company is a leading innovator in the field of diagnostics and sample analysis."
BioMicro Systems, Inc., which is not listed on the stock exchange, is the leader in its field. It currently has over 100 analytical systems in use, including nine systems at the prestigious Harvard Medical School. BioMicro’s products conduct measurements 3 to 5 times as sensitively as those of other manufacturers, making it possible to carry out up to 50,000 tests on a single microarray.
About Nanostart AG:
Nanostart AG is one of the leading investors in the nanotechnology area. The company's two activity areas focus on investments in dynamically growing nanotechnology companies and advisory services to companies from the finance industry on investments in the nanotechnology sector. As nanotechnology investment company and sub-advisor for the DAC Nanotech-Fonds (ISIN LU0172295247), the company offers a unique profile in the global finance scene.
