Technology designed to aid on-the-field diagnostics for military applications is gaining a wider reach as Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and BioVind, LLC achieved a milestone in their partnership: the exclusive licensing of LLNL pathogen diagnostics technology focused on oil and gas applications.
The technology, called BioID, is a rapid and portable molecular diagnostics platform that can detect up to 18 target DNA or RNA sequences from a single sample in 30 to 60 minutes. BioID uses an isothermal amplification technique to detect pathogen nucleic acid.
While technology for detecting microorganisms and their genomes is not new, BioID is the first adoption into a portable device that avoids the need for expensive machinery. BioID's ability to run on both AC current and battery make the device particularly suitable for field use in remote locations or resource-constrained environments.
BioID is the result of more than 10 years of research, led by Larry Dugan, a biomedical scientist in the Biosciences and Biotechnology division, whose team developed technology that enables quick identification of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and fungi that impact humans, animals and the environment.
"I am very excited to see our efforts culminate in this licensing milestone," said Dugan. "BioID's technology was developed by a multidisciplinary team of LLNL scientists and engineers, with the express goals of ease of use and broad applicability. The enthusiasm of the BioVind team for this system and their initial success reaffirms this strategy. I look forward to BioVind's refinement of the technology and its application toward a critical issue in the oil and gas industry."
Dugan designed the diagnostic system to be small enough to fit inside the palm of a hand and light enough to easily add to heavy loads for potential military applications. Similarly, the device is functional over temperatures ranging from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 113 degrees F, and samples are simple to prepare. Positive tests also are indicated on the instrument's display, so pathogen identification can be quick and easy in various settings.
Because of these characteristics, BioID has many applications in human and animal health and disease, food safety, plant and pest control, water quality monitoring, vector and outbreak surveillance and more. BioID also offers improved diagnostic capabilities for urgent care, rural health facilities and telemedicine. Depending on the need, users can substitute their own proprietary assays - a test to determine the components of a substance or object - into the device and can program the necessary conditions to meet their needs.
Through various tech transfer agreements with LLNL - now resulting in an exclusive license - BioVind has focused on testing and developing a commercial application for BioID to detect corrosion and biofouling-associated microbes found in the oil and gas sector, such as in gas pipelines and storage facilities. Unlike other licensees that are only partially based on LLNL-developed technology, BioVind is unique in that it's based exclusively on technology licensed from the Laboratory.
"This groundbreaking technology makes rapid, onsite lab-quality diagnostics a reality," said Marc Tiegel, co-founder and CFO of BioVind. "We're excited to bring it to our customers in the oil and gas sector, helping them tackle the critical challenge of biocorrosion. We're also deeply grateful to LLNL for their startup-friendly licensing process."
This news is an example of entrepreneurial-minded LLNL scientists recognizing market alignment with their mission research. Seeing BioID's potential to reach a large portion of the diagnostics market, Dugan participated in the Innovation and Partnerships Office (IPO) 2019 National Lab Accelerator at LLNL. The six- to nine-month program enables LLNL researchers to work with experienced business mentors who help their teams develop a value proposition, business concept around a market or technology need and a pitch for the investment community.
Dugan went on to partner with a team of entrepreneurs in the 2021 Department of Energy Emerging Tech Studio (DETS) program through IPO as well. DETS helps entrepreneurs in National Nuclear Security Administration laboratories bring their cutting-edge technologies to market and it led to BioVind LLC's founding as a startup company by Dugan's entrepreneurial team.
"One of the goals of the technology transfer mission at LLNL is to stimulate and support startup formation, develop LLNL technology further and create jobs," IPO Director Matthew Garrett said. "BioVind, as a direct spin-out of our Laboratory's technology and expertise, is a great example of that."
Since its formation, BioVind has:
- Raised capital through personal investment as well as about $1 million in grant funding from the California Energy Commission and $50,000 from Southern California Gas Company for testing and development.
- Continued to modify a prototype device provided by LLNL under a loan agreement and to develop assays for specific microorganisms that are largely responsible for microbial corrosion of gas pipelines and storage vessels.
- Developed partnerships with various third-party companies to assist in manufacturing the portable device and disposable cartridges.
LLNL IPO Business Development Executive Yash Vaishnav is responsible for the Laboratory's life science, biotechnology and healthcare intellectual property portfolio. He managed the BioID patent applications, guided the BioVind team on tech transfer mechanisms available for commercial development of federally-funded technologies and negotiated various license agreements for BioVind. Other members of the IPO team including Hannah Farquar and Roger Werne supported the entrepreneurs' team through the FedTech Startup Studio.
IPO is the focal point for LLNL's engagement with industry and aims to accelerate U.S. competitiveness by identifying new economic opportunities and solutions as well as transferring those to the private sector through licensing or partnerships.
