The eRDT IPLEXMED solution, which makes it possible to diagnose respiratory diseases at home in just 20 minutes, was awarded the Born from Knowledge Awards (BfK) by ANI as part of the 2022 edition of the Altice International Innovation Awards (AIIA).

IPLEXMED, a start-up from Braga, in partnership with the University of Minho and the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory (INL), has presented a platform for non-invasive diagnosis of clinical respiratory infections at home, which aims to reduce infection by multi-resistant bacteria, to which patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) are particularly vulnerable.

This solution is portable and offers quick and practical results, allowing you to carry out different analyses with just one sample. Esta tecnologia funciona através de um cartucho, que recolhe, por exemplo, amostras de saliva, que por sua vez é ligado ao computador, acedendo à base de dados ou à cloud do doente. Its graphene sensors capture molecules, giving results in 20 minutes. The equipment is supplied to health centres, but also directly to patients.

There are currently around one billion people suffering from chronic respiratory diseases. Of these, approximately 380 million are diagnosed with COPD, the third leading cause of death worldwide. It is estimated that DCOP costs European countries around 48 billion euros a year.

João Mendes Borga, director of ANI, emphasises that “in the space of a week, the National Innovation Agency has awarded the BfK Awards to two projects born in Higher Education Institutions, in this case, coincidentally, at the University of Minho, which make it possible to speed up diagnoses and save lives. The pandemic has shown us that speed in medicine is becoming increasingly important. Furthermore, in a scenario where our National Health System is already feeling the effects of the gradual ageing of the Portuguese population, with rising costs that could jeopardise its long-term sustainability, projects like IPLEXMED’s are even more important.”

This start-up, founded in 2021, has dedicated itself to developing and maturing the IPLEXMED eRDT and is currently in the process of raising private and public funding to launch the technology to higher levels of readiness. IPLEXMED has a vast network of important partners in various business areas. For the manufacture and dimensioning of graphene sensors, it will have a partnership with INL, Applied NanoLayers and Graphenea. Everythink will work with Untile on the design and integration of the sensors into a disposable cartridge, while Untile will work on software development and front end/back end.

IPLEXMED has also established a collaboration with the Clinic Academic Centre 2 CA, an external entity integrated into Braga Hospital and responsible for national clinical trials, which is currently working on validating the technology with complex biological samples and patient samples, and has begun the IVDR certification process.

Since 2017, ANI has awarded nearly 50 projects and start-ups, born out of academic research, in national innovation competitions and prizes promoted by organisations such as APDC – Portuguese Association for the Development of Communications, Crédito Agrícola, COTEC, BPI and Altice Labs, through the BfK programme.

Born from Knowledge (BfK) is a programme run by ANI that aims to promote a culture of valuing scientific and technological knowledge in Portugal, distinguishing and rewarding good practices and success stories.