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elisha systems is developing biochips and point-of-care instrumentation.elisha systems ltd has been developing the elisha technology to be commercially viable. the basic technology comprises disposable single measurement biochips and an electrochemical reader that is being designed to be a point-of-care device. biochips can be configured indifferent ways:1) single analyte configuration – using 2 working electrodes to generate the specific signal and to correct for non-specific binding2) multiple analyte configuration – using multiple working electrodes to detect a number of target analytes from a single sample.the analytical sequence to measure target analytes is essentially the same for each type of biochip. add sample to biochip – incubate for several minutes – read concentration.the incubation time depends on the target and concentration range of the target analyte, but it is of the order of 5 to 20 minutes for most target analytes measured to date.the development has demonstrated the feasibility of the antibody based biochips to detect many more analytes in a wide range of sample matrices. some examples are given below.analyte matrix sensitivitymeningococcus whole human blood 10 cells in 100µl bloodmyoglobin human serum 10 picogrammes per mlfluoroquinoline antibiotics bovine milk 1 nanogramme per ml mrsa pbs / non-ionic detergent 10 cells per mlto date most protein and carbohydrate biomarkers are quantifiable down to picogramme per ml levels in 20 minutes. most bacterial samples seem to have a detection limit of 10 cells per ml or 10 cells per sample (e.g. for the miningococcus example, 100µl of whole blood containing 100cells per ml gave a consistently measurable response). recently viruses have been detected and quantified directly using a virus antibody. in addition target analytes have been detected and quantified in neat human saliva and neat human urine working with third party clients.elisha systems ltd has world-wide patent protection in the area of ac impedance interrogation of protein biochips and has ip in an alternative electrochemical detection technique developed in the elisha project.elisha systems ltd is looking to discuss potential collaborations with interested third parties who have analyte panels they would like to transfer onto the elisha platform. please contact dr tim gibson or duncan sharp using the contact details above.
