Proteus Pitch Competition
The Innovation/Technology: By analyzing the saliva of Zika-infected patients, Dr. Siqueira and his team discovered a protein signature specific for the Zika virus. They hope to use this innovation to develop a point-of-care diagnostic device. (Current technologies that test blood and urine require up to 2 weeks before results can be communicated and have problems distinguishing between Zika and other highly-related viruses.) For more information about this technology visit: http://proteusic.com/technologies-2017/
Brazil was chosen as the target market due to the sustained ZIKV-related public health challenges experienced in the region, with the WHO recommendation prioritizing the creation of services for the detection of Zika virus infection. Considering potential political and technological constraints, licensing usage rights of the diagnostic device to an established Brazilian pharmaceutical company would allow the technology to benefit from the company’s existing infrastructure, brand recognition, and networks to access existing markets. The proposed licensee was Vyttra Diagnostics, an ADAVIUM Medical Company and the largest Brazilian medical equipment and clinical diagnostic company.
This partnership program promotes knowledge transfer that not only best services the public, but also builds local capacity through the manufacturing and production of this medical products. The advantage of working with the proposed Adavium Company is the potential for growth, sustainability, and opportunity to scale-up in the future.
We aimed to maintain a human-cantered approach and believed that leveraging local partnerships would create a simple pathway that brought that technology to the greatest number of people and didn’t demand great investment of time and money from Dr. Siqueira and his team.
Congratulations to Reshele Perera (MMASc GHS-A '17), Spencer Yeung (MMASc GHS-A '17), Stef Wisofschi (MMASc GHS-A '17) and Jason Knapp (MSc Micro/Imm and Collaborative GHS-A Candidate)!
