The official U.S. patent, named “Nucleic acid beacons for in situ fluorescence hybridization and chip technologies,” encompasses a concept for the development and use of new DNA probes for in vitro diagnostics and paves the way for the establishment of novel, rapid and convenient pathogen detection procedures in the U.S. market. The patent has already been granted in other regions including Europe, Japan, Hong Kong and Australia.
This patent provides Miacom with extensive protection of their unique probe design and its application in providing pathogen detection by means of multiplex FISH assays.
Miacom’s technology enables identification of a multitude of pathogens by means of molecular beacons. The design of these probes eliminates the extremely laborious and error prone washing steps which often cause significant problems in traditional FISH. This new technology also increases probe sensitivity and specificity to unprecedented levels.
“We are excited about the issuance of the fundamental patent for applying our technology to molecular diagnostics applications. Research teams all over the globe have worked for decades on this idea. The miacom team has made this method available for routine multiplex testing directly from patient samples and the granted U.S. patent strengthens our position in one of the key markets in the world,” said Dr. Walter Freiherr von Stein, Chief Scientific Officer of Miacom Diagnostics GmbH. “We have now laid the foundations for delivering a wide variety of applications and for enabling ultra fast FISH in new routine IVD detection scenarios.”
“The award of this patent by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office further strengthens our position in in vitro diagnostics as it not only covers probe design but also their application. With the upcoming commercialization of our first FDA cleared product, it comes at an exciting time at Miacom,” said Dr. Mirko Stange, Chief Executive Officer of Miacom Diagnostics GmbH. “This success accelerates the next steps in pursuing new development opportunities with existing patent protection. This is another important milestone in Miacom’s corporate development.”
Miacom also holds additional patents in these fields including ID/AST and resistance detection, as well as reagents for respiratory sample preparation that are either currently being developed or already available on the market. Using its broad patent portfolio, Miacom is dedicated to advancing rapid microbial diagnostics and resistance screening with extraordinary dynamics.