Licensing, Research Agreements Completed Between UB and Reichert, Inc.

BUFFALO, NY -- The University at Buffalo's Office of Science Technology Transfer and Economic Outreach (STOR) has announced that licensing and research agreements have been completed with Reichert, Inc., paving the way for developing and marketing a cell volume cytometer (CVC), whose applications include the detection of drug/cell interactions, bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics and cancer cell susceptibility to chemotherapeutic agents.

In addition to research use, the CVC will be developed for disease diagnosis and treatment selection, which potentially may save lives and reduce health care costs. The project already has created several new inventions, including a patent-pending system for calibrating alternating current sensors.

The project between UB and Reichert, Inc., of Depew, was funded by a $750,000 grant from the New York State Office of Science, Technology and Academic Research (NYSTAR) and matching funds from Reichert, Inc., which has licensed the technology.

Frederick Sachs, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Physiology and Biophysics in the UB School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and Susan Z. Hua, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, are the primary inventors of the technology. Both also are researchers in the New York State Center of Excellence in Bioinformatics and Life Sciences.

The cell volume cytometer rapidly and accurately detects changes in cell volume. Cell volume is a universal measure of cell metabolism, but has not been used for cell-based screening because conventional methods to measure cell volume, such as microscopy, are complex and time-consuming.

Current technology requires days to determine appropriate antibiotic treatments for patients. If successfully developed, the diagnostic version of the CVC will reduce this to minutes. The research version will allow researchers to examine the response of any cell or organelle to its environment more quickly, easily and with fewer materials, according to researchers.

"We developed a microchip sensor to measure the volume of cells. This provides a new method for screening drugs," said Dr. Sachs. "In the case of bacteria, for example, the CVC can detect antibiotic sensitivity of bacteria by examining its effect on the rate of cell growth. We look forward to the CVC-7000 becoming a standard laboratory instrument and a biological testing device for the doctor's office. We are expanding the system to become a high-throughput screening system for the drug industry."

STOR's company partner, Reichert Analytical Instruments, is a global leader in ophthalmic instruments, laboratory refractometers and microscope services. It sees the CVC as a major opportunity in its growing business serving the emerging bio-research market. The impact of the newly developed product on Reichert will be significant, with the addition of personnel in engineering, marketing, sales and manufacturing.

Robert Carey of Reichert, Inc.'s Analytical Instruments division said the cell volume cytometer is "a good, fundamental research tool" that will enable scientists to examine how cells behave when exposed to different chemical stimulants. "Future development could include a device to test potential treatments against tumor tissue from the patient themselves, while still in the operating room," he added.

Michael L. Fowler, commercialization manager for STOR, calls the partnership between Sachs and Reichert, Inc., a "perfect example of technology transfer at its best. A dynamic researcher encounters a problem and solves it in a unique way. An innovative local company sees market potential in the solution and works diligently with the researcher to develop a product. With the help of the university technology transfer office, a 'win-win' situation for everyone is created and the stage is set for further discoveries."

Anticipated first-year sales are estimated at $750,000 and are expected to grow to $5 million within five years, officials forecast. The project also is expected to foster further extensive collaborations between Reichert and UB.

STOR is responsible for commercializing UB developed technologies. It is headquartered in the UBo Technology Incubator at 1576 Sweet Home Road. For more information, contact STOR at (716) 645-8134 or http://www.stor.buffalo.edu.