| Following an announcement in August by Berlin-based capsulation specialist Capsulution NanoScience AG to offer its proprietary nano and micro capsules also for the development of innovative diagnostic products, the Company now substantiates its offer to the diagnostics industry with the presentation of the first new generations of particles, namely LBL-Shells® and LBL-Library®. These are proprietary nanoparticles not only represent a significant improvement of existing diagnostic systems but also offer the diagnostics market wholly new areas of application. LBL-Shells® are prepared as mono-disperse particles with diameters between 500 - 5.000 nm. Compared with conventional particles LBL-Shells® have substantially enhanced properties. These are manifested in reduced sedimentation rates, low scattering, enhanced levels of detection, increased solvent stability, easy re-dispersion, assigning of functions to the capsule's interior as well as multiple payloads of dyes active at various wavelengths. Furthermore, LBL-Shells® can be engineered to individual requirements providing a high flexibility in materials, size, colours, multiple functions or surfaces. Their mechanical properties can also be varied to adapt the capsules to specific assay formats. In addition, LBL-Shells® can be used as part of composite materials for application in complex diagnostic tests. LBL-Shells® therefore enable the development of novel separation-free tests that in comparison with conventional tests will result in an increased efficacy and substantial savings in the number of test steps necessary, as well as reduced costs and refuse levels. LBL-Library® is a library of fluorescent particles which opens a new dimension for the large scale DNA analysis. A high number of dye combinations can be achieved by the layer-by-layer incorporation of different fluorescent dyes in the wall structure, which can be easily read out in parallel. For example, a library of 136 different particles can be offered by combining 3 different colours (dyes) within a number of 15 labelled particle layers. In addition, particles from LBL-Library® are very sensitive, have an increased solvent stability and are easily re-suspended. Up to now, tests with conventional particles were only capable of distinguishing a maximum of 50 dye combinations. Capsulution is now looking for a suitable partner for the targeted further development and optimisation of these highly promising product groups. Alexander Herrmann, CFO of the Berlin-based company explains: "With LBL-Shells® and LBL-Library® we have substantiated our offer to the diagnostics industry. However, we do know that our offer represents a relatively early stage of development. We are nevertheless very confident to find renowned partners because our proprietary technology offers considerable advantages compared with traditional approaches and it enjoys worldwide patent protection. Especially the latter is very important since it enables us to cater for attractive technological niches of the highly competitive diagnostics sector." During the past 12 months Capsulution was able to acquire important partners with first diagnostic projects in the areas of contract manufacture and the issuing of sub-licenses to international corporations. Presently the turnover generated by Capsulution in this area has already surpassed 500,000 euros. |