DigiFluidic Biotech Files Prospectus: Pioneering Portable Automated Diagnostic Devices Powered by Digital Microfluidics
VCBeat has learned that Zhuhai Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as “Digifluidic”) has, onOn November 25, participated in the “Guangdong Medical Valley Open Day” to share its latest research findings and strengthen exchanges with experts in the healthcare industry.
Founded in 2018, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. is a biotechnology company specializing in automated detection and dedicated to developing leading in vitro diagnostic (IVD) equipment. Leveraging digital microfluidics technology, the company has innovated an automated nucleic acid analysis system, which is planned for application in medical disease diagnosis, health index monitoring, animal and plant disease detection, food safety testing, and other fields. Previously, Digifluidic secured tens of millions of RMB in venture capital financing.
According to reports, the University of Macau has provided substantial support to Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. (Digifluidic), including taking an equity stake in the company and offering technical and resource assistance. Furthermore, the University exclusively licensed to Digifluidic its automated nucleic acid analysis technology, which was developed over more than a decade at the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI. Currently, the nucleic acid testing equipment developed by Digifluidic has been deployed at institutions such as the Zhuhai Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Gongbei Customs, and the Doumen Aquatic Product Testing Center, receiving consistent acclaim.
“Guangdong Medical Valley Open Day” was launched by Guangdong Medical Valley to promote communication and knowledge sharing within the healthcare industry. The offline events have reached an audience of over 50,000, while online engagement has approached 300,000 participants. Guangdong Medical Valley initiated the “Open Day” series with the aim of better serving medical enterprises. As a provider of specialized services for medical industrial clusters, Guangdong Medical Valley focuses on investment and incubation in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors. Its first medical industrial park is located in Nansha, Guangzhou, and currently hosts more than 190 tenant companies.
Wang Chufeng, Director of Overseas Expansion at Digifluidic Biotech Ltd., stated, “Our participation in this event aims to introduce the portable automated detection device, Virus Hunter, and digital microfluidic chips to a broader audience. We also seek to engage with more entrepreneurs to foster collaborations and achieve mutual progress.”
Digifluidic’s innovative testing system comprises two components: the portable automated detection device, Virus Hunter, and a digital microfluidics chip. Used in combination, they provide testing services in areas such as infectious diseases, health indicators, animal and plant diseases, and food safety.
Currently, the product has been applied in the field of animal and plant disease control. In medical areas such as infectious diseases and health indicators, the product has obtained CE certification and is currently applying for domestic medical device registration. Additionally, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. is planning to leverage its advantages in Macau and through its partners to promote the product to the Southeast Asian market.
Wang Chufeng introduced, “This testing device features a compact size, portability, ease of operation, and low cost. It addresses the challenges associated with traditional nucleic acid testing, which requires complex manual procedures and specialized testing environments. Currently, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. is providing its portable automated testing device, Virus Hunter, to customers free of charge; customers only need to purchase the digital microfluidic chips.”
The digital microfluidics chip is a product that the University of Macau has been researching since 2006 and has now reached a relatively mature stage. Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. has obtained exclusive licensing for this technology from the University of Macau and received strong technical support, facilitating the gradual commercialization of laboratory products and achieving an integrated model of “industry, academia, research, and commerce.” Additionally, the University of Macau has provided Digifluidic with technical mentors, entrepreneurial mentors, and other resources to promote its positive development.
Compared to traditional PCR laboratories, portable automated testing devices offer advantages such as portability, rapidity, and mobility. Meanwhile, the testing chips feature miniaturization, integration, and automation, enabling the simultaneous detection of multiple indicators. This not only saves time and effort for both healthcare workers and patients but also reduces the risk of contamination. Furthermore, in terms of turnaround time, Digifluidic Biotech’s testing equipment requires only 90 minutes, with the entire process taking no more than 2 hours, significantly shortening the detection time.
Wang Chufeng introduced, “After on-site testing by users, staff can download the test data from the cloud. This feature reduces contact between staff and other individuals, mitigates the risk of cross-infection, and aids in epidemic prevention and control.”
The portable automated testing device, Virus Hunter, features automatic detection capabilities because Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. utilized microfluidic technology developed by the University of Macau. By applying digital microfluidics technology, Digifluidic integrated the reactions of several laboratory procedures onto a single chip and achieved highly automated testing operations through pre-programmed microfluidic protocols, significantly reducing the need for manual intervention.
The device achieves shorter detection times by employing ultra-fast DNA melting curve analysis technology based on digital microfluidic chips. The ultra-fast analysis method on the digital microfluidic chip operates 300 times faster than conventional PCR instruments, while reducing sample consumption by a factor of 20.
Leveraging the numerous advantages of portable automated testing equipment, Digifluidic Biotech believes that this product can cater to a broader range of application areas and markets. Currently, Digifluidic Biotech primarily focuses on four sectors: infectious disease testing, health indicator monitoring, animal and plant disease detection, and food safety testing.
In the field of infectious disease testing, Digifluidic has developed a respiratory pathogen detection chip capable of detecting viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, and respiratory adenovirus; a cervical cancer pathogen detection chip for detecting viruses such as HPV16 and HPV18; a sexually transmitted pathogen detection chip for detecting pathogens such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Mycoplasma genitalium; and a tuberculosis drug-resistance detection chip for assessing resistance to drugs such as rifampicin and ethambutol.
The detection chip can pre-store reagents for 12 types of pathogens, enabling the simultaneous identification of specific pathogens in patients with infectious diseases. This allows patients to receive more targeted treatment and benefit from precision medicine. In the pre-storage of reagents, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. primarily employs freeze-drying technology to prevent reagent degradation. The application of freeze-drying technology ensures product portability; pre-stored reagents reduce sampling and reaction time, enabling timely diagnosis for patients; and the reagents can be stored for extended periods without significant degradation, thereby ensuring diagnostic accuracy.
In the field of health indicator detection, Digifluidic has developed a pediatric genetic testing chip capable of detecting genes associated with obesity, asthma, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as well as an adult disease testing chip for screening common conditions such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, and other cardiac disorders. Health indicator testing facilitates personal health screening, contributing to early detection, early intervention, and early treatment.
In terms of market promotion, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. is applying for domestic medical device registration certificates for infectious disease testing and health indicator testing, and has already obtained CE certification in Europe and the United States. Digifluidic plans to leverage its geographical advantages and distributor resources to pioneer the Southeast Asian market.
In the field of plant and animal disease detection, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. has developed detection chips for shrimp pathogens, fish pathogens, and Vibrio pathogens, capable of detecting more than twenty types of pathogens. Plant and animal disease detection helps aquaculture farmers and agricultural growers confirm the health status of their stocks, enabling timely intervention when issues arise to ensure profitability. Currently, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. is piloting these products in the aquaculture industry, with their detection performance receiving consistent recognition from farmers. The company stated, “In the future, we will develop detection chips targeting livestock and poultry such as chickens and pigs.” Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. plans to initially partner with pet stores across various regions (especially pet store chains), leveraging more scientific detection methods to assist staff in managing pet health, thereby entering the pet testing market.
In the field of food safety testing, Digifluidic has developed meat source detection chips, genetically modified organism (GMO) detection chips, and toxic substance detection chips, capable of identifying various components in food. Food safety concerns everyone, and Digifluidic’s series of food safety detection chips fills a gap in this market, presenting significant growth opportunities. Digifluidic plans to collaborate with livestock farmers across various regions to help them ensure animal health and secure breeding profits. Additionally, Digifluidic intends to partner with relevant food safety authorities to promote the adoption of its meat source detection chips, thereby safeguarding food safety.
There is substantial market potential in infectious diseases, health indicators, animal and plant disease control, and food safety. As these markets are still in their nascent stages, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd., having entered the field early, enjoys significant growth opportunities.
To date, Digifluidic has been granted three U.S. patents and is currently applying for ten invention patents and multiple utility model patents. Achieving such milestones within just two years since its establishment is attributable to Digifluidic’s outstanding team.
The core team of Digifluidic comprises two components: a Scientific Advisory Board, including experts such as Professor Mai Peiran, Professor Ji Yanwei, and Professor Ma Xuyuan; and the founding executive team, featuring professionals such as Dr. Chen Tianlan and Dr. Dong Cheng.
Professor Mai Peiran is a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), a Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), an overseas review expert for the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and holds a Ph.D. in Microelectronics from the University of Macau. He currently serves as Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Macau, Deputy Director of the Institute of Microelectronics, and Deputy Director of the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal Very Large-Scale Integration (VLSI). Professor Mai was invited as an outstanding representative of Macau to attend the 70th anniversary celebrations. He possesses extensive experience in technological innovation and academic mentorship.
Professor Jia Yanwei currently serves as the Director of the Microfluidics Laboratory at the State Key Laboratory of Analog and Mixed-Signal VLSI, University of Macau. He has long been engaged in research on technological innovations in microfluidics and their applications in biochemistry, encompassing both channel-based microfluidics and digital microfluidics, with demonstrated strengths in DNA detection, drug screening, and precision medicine. Professor Jia has undertaken and completed numerous research projects at the provincial/ministerial and university levels, with total funding amounting to nearly RMB 10 million. He has received several awards, including the Invention and Innovation Award from the International Union of Crystallography and the Innovation Award from Nature Communications.
Dr. Chen Tianlan and Dr. Dong Cheng are postdoctoral fellows at a State Key Laboratory and have participated in research on multiple bioengineering projects. Dr. Chen Tianlan has extensive experience in the development of digital microfluidic control systems and digital microfluidic chips, as well as in developing rapid DNA detection methods based on microchips. Dr. Dong Cheng possesses many years of experience in software, algorithm, and embedded system development, and previously participated in the R&D of a bank’s data system. In addition, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. boasts a team of experienced members in hardware R&D, quality system management, and the transition from R&D to production.
Backed by a strong team, Digifluidic Biotech Ltd. boasts outstanding innovation and R&D capabilities. Currently, the company is developing its second-generation chips, aiming to achieve miniaturization and portability. Furthermore, Digifluidic’s strengths have gained recognition from both investors and healthcare enterprises. On the evening of November 19, Hengji Daxin (Stock Code: 002492) announced that its subsidiary, Hengtou Venture Capital, had signed an “Intent Agreement on Investment Cooperation” with Digifluidic Biotech Ltd., reaching a preliminary agreement to provide production services and other support for projects such as Digifluidic’s digital microfluidic technology chips.
Currently, Digifluidic is conducting a new round of financing, planned for product research and development.
Next, Digifluidic Biotech will optimize production technologies, expand its GMP-compliant facilities, increase output, and actively secure medical device registration certificates to accelerate product commercialization. Additionally, the company will expand into the pet diagnostics market.