September 27, 2007 — Nanobiosym Inc. has been awarded a $2 million contract from the United States Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA), a branch of the U.S. Department of Defense, to further develop a portable gene detector.
Nanobiosym, and its commercial partner, Nanobiosym Diagnostics, have been privately developing Gene-RADAR, a nanotechnology-enabled platform, designed to rapidly detect genetic fingerprints from any biological organism. The company aims to give patients real-time access to their own diagnostic information via low-cost handheld devices. The company also wants to develop the platform for portable real-time detection of food and air-borne pathogens, as well as water testing, animal and crop testing, and screening of blood and transplant organs.
The DTRA plans to validate use of Nanobiosym’s proprietary technology platform for emerging biodefense applications.