Imec terminates licensing agreement with miDiagnostics regarding the commercialization of its patented technology for rapid and reliable COVID-19 diagnosis via breath analysis

A demonstration model of the breath test device developed by imec. (Image: imec)

Imec, a globally leading research and innovation center for nanoelectronics and digital technology, and miDiagnostics, a spin-off from imec in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University, which specializes in the development of point-of-care tests for screening, diagnosing, and monitoring a variety of health conditions, announce that they have signed a non-exclusive licensing agreement for imec's patented technology. This technology captures aerosols and droplets from exhaled breath for screening for viral RNA using miDiagnostics' ultra-fast PCR technology. The agreement enables miDiagnostics to advance the commercialization of a COVID-19 breath test — as an alternative to traditional COVID-19 testing methods based on blood, saliva, or nasal/throat swabs.

Last year, imec developed an exhaled breath gas sampler based on its unique chip technology and conducted clinical studies with the University Hospital and the University of Leuven, which demonstrated that the imec breath gas sampler can detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus in exhaled air and reliably identify viral RNA quickly. Additionally, imec has developed a device that integrates the breath sampling technology with imec's ultra-fast PCR test, optimizing robustness and user-friendliness to achieve a working proof-of-concept.

"I am very proud to note that we have made impressive progress in recent months," confirms Luc Van den hove, CEO of imec. "We have succeeded in transforming a promising concept and groundbreaking technology into a functional proof-of-concept that has passed both user tests and clinical trials. This is the first time we have advanced our chip technology from development to commercialization. With this proof-of-concept, we can demonstrate the added value of our technology much closer to the market and significantly shorten the time to market for our partners. The licensing agreement with miDiagnostics is an important milestone for imec: our groundbreaking technology will help contain the COVID-19 pandemic in the near future."

Since COVID-19 is unlikely to be the last virus to challenge the world, imec is already exploring how its patented technology can be used for diagnosing other airborne infectious diseases. Furthermore, imec is investigating applications for diagnosing diseases such as cancer. Interested companies are warmly invited to participate in these efforts.

"Despite vaccination campaigns, there remains a significant need for easily accessible and reliable rapid tests to contain new virus outbreaks or avoid unnecessary quarantines. With our license for imec's groundbreaking technology, we aim to make our ultra-fast PCR technology, currently used for nasal swabs, compatible with exhaled air — the perfect sample for silicon-based PCR. This first prototype will be tested in November in collaboration with Brussels Airport, Ecolog, and Eurofins at the airport," explains Katleen Verleysen, CEO of miDiagnostics.

"Our research investments through imec lead to new technological breakthroughs. The interplay of knowledge, research, and entrepreneurship creates economic and societal value. With the new breath test device, we are also making history in COVID-19 testing. Developing these tests is of great importance for public health. In this way, we can better control this pandemic in the future and increase comfort for people who need to be tested. That is why I am proud that we could support the development and research of imec," emphasizes the Flemish Minister for Innovation, Hilde Crevits.