NEW YORK – iQX announced on Tuesday a collaboration between its subsidiary, Life Science Biosensor Diagnostics (LSBD), and Harvard University's Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering to develop a SARS-CoV-2 antibody test.
Under the agreement, the partners will conduct a pilot study to integrate LSBD's Biosensor platform with an assay system developed by the Wyss Institute to detect IgM or IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2.
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"If the pilot study data is positive, then the test has the potential to meet FDA and other National and Supranational regulatory criteria to be used as a point-of-care screening and diagnostic tool, as well as a pre-vaccination screening test for when a COVID-19 vaccine is made available," said George Syrmalis, group CEO and chairman of the iQ Group Global, which is based in Sydney Australia and funds and develops bioscience discoveries. iQX, an investment firm, is a member of iQ Group Global.
The Biosensor is a printable organic transistor strip for diagnosis at the point of care, and it's currently being developed to test for more than 130 indications, including glucose in saliva for diabetes management, tumor markers, allergens, and hormones, iQX said in a statement.