Group News
Collaboration agreement and completion of prototype detection system
Jul 28, 2008Laser based gas analysis and detection – industrial and clinical markets
Avacta Group plc (“Avacta”), which develops detection and
analysis technology aimed at the pharmaceutical, healthcare, security and
industrial sectors, is pleased to announce that it has signed a collaboration
agreement with V&F Medical Development GmbH (“V&F”), and, separately,
has completed a detection prototype for a constituent of breath, potentially
positioning Avacta strongly in the high value clinical diagnostics market.
Avacta’s laser based trace gas detection technology was
gained through the acquisition of Oxford Medical Diagnostics Ltd (“OMD”) in
December 2007. This provided Avacta with important strategic opportunities in
clinical diagnostics through the analysis of breath and gases. OMD’s technology
has high levels of sensitivity and rapid response times, low maintenance, low
costs and relative simplicity when compared with competing technologies. These
qualities make it highly suitable for a wide range of applications within
industrial and diagnostic environments.
Avacta’s technology has significant potential for breath
analysis as well as for the analysis of gases produced by clinical samples such
as urine, blood and faeces. Bacterial infections which are present in these
samples produce gases and the analysis of these is called “headspace analysis”.
At present headspace analysis requires large and very expensive centralised
equipment. Avacta’s CEAS technology has the potential to replace these with a
low cost headspace analysis product and, to this end, Avacta has signed a
collaboration agreement with V&F, an Austrian producer of high quality mass
spectrometers.
This collaboration agreement concerns a programme of
research and development to identify key headspace gases for selected bacterial
infections and to determine the performance requirements for such a product
with a view to a full co-development agreement being signed.
In a separate development Avacta has completed a prototype
product for detection of a constituent of human breath which is aimed at
clinical use. In a clinical setting, the sensitive detection of this particular
gas in breath allows some gastrointestinal problems to be tested for and
monitored. Avacta is now pursuing protection of its intellectual property in
this application area and commercialisation in both industrial and healthcare
testing markets.
Alastair Smith, Chief Executive of Avacta commented : “We believe that the potential size of the markets for clinical analysis of breath and headspace gases is large and was a key factor in our decision to acquire OMD late last year. Clinical diagnostics products are still in early development stages but this collaboration with V&F and the completion of the prototype breath analysis system brings us significantly closer to market and is a major step forward in achieving our clinical diagnostics ambitions for OMD. I am very pleased with the progress of OMD since acquisition and there has been considerable interest from potential commercial partners for a range of industrial gas detection applications and I hope to report on further progress soon.”
28 July 2008
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