360Dx feature: COVID-19 MIPs are ‘Showcase’ for company’s future

The article, published on 360Dx on May 13th, 2022, follows the work of MIP Diagnostics since its conception in 2015, and discusses why molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) are now an attractive alternative to antibodies for IVD devices. The company’s COVID-19 nanoMIP has been a ‘showcase’ of the company’s capabilities. Strong validation data has demonstrated that MIPs can deliver the same, if not better performance than antibodies, and has attracted the interest of innovative diagnostics manufacturers.

A study published last month in ACS sensors saw MIP Diagnostics help with the development and validation of a rapid SARS-CoV-2 test from Newcastle University. Jake McClements, an author of the paper said;

“A key issue with regular antibodies is that they are not particularly versatile – they are limited to certain temperature ranges and environments. Because MIPs are made of inert pieces of polymers, those limitations don’t apply, allowing them to be used at higher temperatures, such as in equatorial countries, or in extremely acidic or basic environments, like in different kinds of foods. They also have a much longer shelf life, unlike natural antibodies, and can be stored in less-than-optimal conditions.”

The company has plans to produce MIPs for other applications, with an emphasis on respiratory diseases, food safety, and drugs of abuse, along with cell and gene therapy. Drugs of abuse and respiratory disease testing are of particular interest because some drugs are particularly challenging to detect with antibodies and MIPs could potentially be more effective.