Development of an innovative microprobe technology for testing biologically active compounds, using previously unavailable methods (colloquially called the “Polish microprobe from Lublin”)
Project title
Development of an innovative microprobe technology for testing biologically active compounds, using previously unavailable methods (colloquially called the “Polish microprobe from Lublin”)
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
SDS Optic S.A. (formerly SDS Optic Sp. z o.o.); InnoVENTURE Sp. z o.o.; Private investors
Name of programme
Operational Program “Smart Growth”
Competition
Bridge Alpha
Project value
PLN 3,000,000.00
Funding value
PLN 2,400,000.00
Project delivery period
06.12.2017 – 01.04.2021
Our team
Marcin Staniszewski – President of the Management Board, co-founder
Magdalena Staniszewska – commercial proxy, R&D Director, co-founder
Mateusz Sagan – commercial proxy, Director of Operations and Business Development
Ewelina Kuźmicz-Mirosław – chemist, Laboratory Manager
Results of our work
Issues addressed
As part of the project, the Company purchased laboratory equipment necessary for the development of the inPROBE® technology – a fiber-optic micro-biosensor for the diagnosis of HER2-positive breast cancer. The technology developed by SDS Optic S.A. (formerly SDS Optic Sp. z o.o.) can be a supplementary product, but also an alternative to conventional biopsy, immunohistochemical tests and the FISH method.
We conducted a number of tests and preclinical studies, thanks to which the technology could be further developed in the formula of ongoing clinical trials, and the company obtained further batches of financing in the total amount of over PLN 70 million (also thanks to the entry to the Warsaw Stock Exchange and the agreement with the European Investment Bank).
The main advantages of inPROBE® are:
– objective and numerical determination of the concentration of the tested molecule,
– real-time results,
– no need to collect tissue (biopsy).
The technological platform solution will allow the use of new measurement methodology also in the field of diagnostics of infectious diseases, eye diseases and in monitoring drug delivery.
Project beneficiaries
The purchased equipment is used by the R&D team of SDS Optic S.A., and the final results of the R&D work and ongoing clinical trials will benefit cancer patients, business partners and capital investors. The results of the team’s work will benefit doctors who perform biopsies in today’s diagnostic standard (in Poland – oncologists), pathologists, as well as diagnosed patients. The solution that will hit the market is intended to provide a less invasive and more accurate method of detecting cancer biomarkers, which will reduce the time of waiting for results from weeks to minutes. This will significantly improve quality of life of patients and reduce the stress associated with long waits for outcomes.
Major implementation challenges
The biggest challenge for us in implementing the project was keeping up to date with the work schedule in a very unpredictable environment of R&D projects, in the processes of preclinical research and ongoing clinical trials. Building a professional business organization was also a big challenge, thanks to the facing which we could become a public company, enter the Stock Exchange and attract the interest of a number of new classes of capital investors, including Norges Bank and the European Investment Bank. Thanks to this, we sourced over PLN 70 million of capital of various types – grants (including the one from the European Commission under “Horizon2020”), private investments and venture debt – which paid for the commercialization and development of this technology.
Our advice to other applicants
R&D projects are capital-intensive, so if the commercialization process is relatively long (for example due to regulatory reasons), we recommend building a professional business organization and structures as quickly as possible, which will allow for quick and effective acquisition of subsequent batches of financing from various sources (stock exchange, venture capital funds or the European Commission).