Alveo Technologies, Inc. (Alveo), a leader in molecular sensing and diagnostics with its proprietary IntelliSense molecular detection technology platform, today announced the launch of an academic arm of its partner program in collaboration with the Global Virus Network (GVN), along with faculty at the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Public Health. The program now includes two new partnering approaches: a research use only (RUO) program focused on enabling innovative research through universities and academic partners and a deeper collaboration with Alveo that has the shared aim of commercializing tests in countries where there is a significant unmet need.
Global Virus Network (GVN) and faculty at John’s Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health are initially focused on equipping their network with access to Alveo’s highly sensitive and easy-to-use platform to support the research and development of “in region, for region” testing. The primary goal of this effort is to enable institutions and developing countries with a highly sensitive and easy-to-use platform to proactively detect and track illness at the local level — and, ultimately, in the regional populations at large. Enabling testing at the point of need is paramount given the challenges of collecting and transporting samples to laboratories to provide results.
GVN was instrumental in helping to conceive the academic partner program, and its participation was announced at the GVN’s Annual Scientific Meeting in Durban, South Africa. “The world desperately needs accessible molecular tests for pathogens that afflict developing countries,” said Dr. Sten Vermund, President of the GVN. “This partnership will enable accessible ‘in-region, for-region’ test development, manufacturing, and deployment for devastating, yet neglected infectious diseases. The ability to identify hotspots before they spread will help us as a global community to avoid future pandemics.”
The GVN and its 80+ scientific sites, which include Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, will help countries develop tests on Alveo’s open platform, which is well suited for challenging environments thanks to the devices’ ruggedness and portability. The platform provides precise results comparable to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in terms of accuracy and sensitivity without requiring shipment of samples to a lab for processing. Alveo provides on-location results within 30-45 minutes or less.
Alveo’s rugged device continues to complete tests and produce accurate results despite extreme temperatures, high humidity, shaken, or even dropped. The platform can upload geotagged results to the cloud, providing researchers and authorities with near real-time information on a pathogens’ spread, regardless of where in the world the test is run. Researchers can proactively collect, detect and track outcomes in Alveo’s cloud-based software solution, so test results can be accessed and aggregated from anywhere in the world.
“Many molecular testing platforms fall short in meeting the needs of remote and under-resourced regions worldwide, relying on expensive equipment, skilled and highly trained technicians and cumbersome sample transportation,” said Erik Tyrrell-Knott, Chief Business and Strategy Officer at Alveo Technologies. “Alveo is focused on helping the molecular testing world catch up with the modern world – making testing fast, sensitive, easy to use, and affordable. This partner program, with GVN’s member institutions, will enable scientists to take their cutting-edge research out of the lab and deliver it effectively to impacted populations.”
“I reached out to Alveo Technologies in our search for a diagnostics company that is open to rich, disruptive collaboration,” observed Dr. Maggie Linn Bartlett, program director for the Global Virus Network and faculty at the John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. “Together, Alveo and GVN have created a Partner Development Kit that enables GVN members to independently develop tests on Alveo’s be.well™ platform. Initial collaboration units have been placed with Professor Deborah Williamson of the MRC University of Glasgow Centre for Virus Research, Dr. Al Ozonoff of Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and my lab at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. I’m excited to finally solve a problem that has been unaddressed for far too long.”
For more information on the program visit: https://www.alveotechnologies.com/partner.