BioAssay Works, LLC Awarded $50k TEDCO Grant to Develop Rapid Smallpox Diagnostic

BioAssay Works, LLC. was awarded a $50 thousand grant by Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) under its Fort Detrick Technology Transfer Initiative (FDTTI) to develop an optimized, highly sensitive, rapid, visual diagnostic test able to detect and differentiate among multiple pathogenic poxviruses, including smallpox.

If the initial proof-of-concept is successful, other diagnostic capabilities will be added to allow differential diagnosis of other illnesses that present acute vesiclar and pustular rash symptoms similar to smallpox. Current diagnostic protocols for smallpox are subjective, slow, and cumbersome. The objective is the delivery of a rapid, lateral-flow assay that will provide government agencies and first responders a vital tool for rapid, point-of-care identification of high priority bio-threats.

Resources for the grant, the maximum amount available under the FDTTI, come from a federally funded program. Work will be conducted under a three-way Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with BioFactura, Inc. of Rockville, Maryland, and the laboratories of Dr. Jay Hooper at the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) at Ft. Dietrich. Dr. Hooper's laboratory will provide materials for generation of monoclonal antibodies and viral proteins, as well as samples for testing. BioFactura will produce recombinant antibodies and antigens to be used by BioAssay Works in designing, producing, and validating the test.

"This grant from TEDCO allows us to focus our skills and proprietary rapid-assay development technology on a project of great importance both to the military and the civilian population. We look forward to collaborating with USAMRIID and BioFactura to make this a success," said Robert Greenfield, BioAssay Works CEO. "This product will help address the critical need for rapid identification of smallpox infection in the event of a bioterror attack."