VibroniX Submits IPO Prospectus for Its Proprietary Coherent Raman Ultra-Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing System

Dr. Wang Pu is a highly humorous individual. When asked about his original motivation for founding VibroniX, he joked that it was simply to fulfill the “bold claims” made in the academic papers he published during his doctoral studies. Throughout his undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs, Dr. Wang focused his studies and research on fields such as microscopic imaging and optical imaging. After delving deeply into this specialized area, he gained a clearer understanding of the application prospects of cutting-edge technologies, which further strengthened his resolve to commercialize these technologies.

Wang Pu told VCBeat that before deciding to commercialize their scientific and technological research, they had already collaborated with multiple physicians to gain an in-depth understanding of the urgent clinical challenges faced by doctors. They also conducted interviews with one hundred experts and carried out a systematic investigation of the industry chain to thoroughly identify key pain points in the sector.

VibroniX was founded in 2014. At its inception, the company primarily focused on the research and development of five to six technological products, including photoacoustic imaging navigation and Raman scattering microscopy. Among these product lines, one deserves particular mention: coherent Raman-based ultra-rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing, which has become the company’s core technology today.

This R&D pipeline was established because the VibroniX team, during early market research, discovered that most domestic and international physicians require 1 to 2 days to complete bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility testing—a timeframe considered excessively long. Since antimicrobial susceptibility results directly guide patient medication regimens and clinical reporting, prolonged turnaround times can delay diagnosis and treatment, thereby worsening patient outcomes, particularly for ICU patients with bacteremia or bacterial meningitis.

This pain point represents the market opportunity identified by VibroniX. As VibroniX’s research has deepened, its R&D pipeline for coherent Raman-based ultra-fast antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) has neared maturity, with clinical trial data demonstrating its advantages. Consequently, VibroniX has shifted its R&D focus to this pipeline. Currently, VibroniX has completed early-stage trials and prototype production for its Raman-based ultra-fast AST platform.

When discussing “coherent Raman ultra-fast antimicrobial susceptibility testing,” we must first introduce “coherent Raman scattering microscopy,” an optical microscopic imaging technique based on Raman scattering. Coherent Raman ultra-fast antimicrobial susceptibility testing applies this microscopic imaging method to observe drug resistance in bacterial populations.

Traditional antimicrobial susceptibility testing determines drug efficacy by assessing bacterial proliferation. After culturing bacteria in the presence of an antibiotic for 24 hours, if no bacterial growth is observed, the antibiotic is deemed effective, indicating that the bacterial population has not developed resistance to the drug. Conversely, if the bacterial population proliferates, the drug is considered ineffective, indicating the emergence of drug resistance in that population.

In recent years, the misuse of antibiotics has led to antibiotic resistance in some bacteria, and even "superbugs" resistant to multiple antibiotics have emerged, posing a serious threat to human health. According to projections by the Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, by 2050, the mortality rate caused by drug-resistant bacterial infections will surpass that of cancer and rank first.

Against this backdrop, addressing antibiotic resistance has become a global healthcare challenge, making bacterial resistance monitoring a key testing priority for hospitals. Compared with foreign countries, China’s microbiological testing capabilities remain relatively underdeveloped, and the market share of related diagnostic instruments is still low.

VibroniX’s coherent Raman ultra-high-speed antimicrobial susceptibility testing significantly enhances the efficiency of AST. In essence, this technology detects changes in bacterial metabolism within a single division cycle (approximately 10 minutes). VibroniX cultures bacteria with deuterium oxide (D2O) and antibiotics for 10 minutes. If no metabolic activity is observed (i.e., C-H bonds are not converted into C-D bonds), it indicates that the bacteria are not resistant and the drug is effective. Conversely, if metabolic activity occurs (C-H bonds are converted into C-D bonds), it signifies that the bacteria have developed resistance, rendering the drug ineffective.

“Depending on the division cycle duration of different bacteria, each test takes between 10 minutes and 2 hours,” Wang Pu added. “Our coherent Raman ultra-high-speed antimicrobial susceptibility testing achieves sensitivity at the single-bacterium level, allowing direct observation of C-D bond imaging in individual cells on the device’s display screen. This method is 10,000 times faster than spontaneous Raman spectroscopy, offers chemical selectivity, and provides imaging capabilities with a spatial resolution of 200–500 nm.”

Compared with traditional clinical bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) workflows, coherent Raman ultra-high-speed AST saves time and labor, enabling clinicians to obtain AST results earlier and implement precise antibiotic interventions for patients more rapidly. Wang Pu also stated that the ideal application scenario for the coherent Raman ultra-high-speed AST instrument is within the clinical laboratory. When blood samples from ICU patients are received by the laboratory, technicians can rapidly assess the drug resistance of the microbial flora. Furthermore, when coupled with mass spectrometry, this approach can identify the specific microbial species and determine the appropriate antibiotics for treatment.

Currently, VibroniX has completed 58 sets of early-stage trials for its coherent Raman ultra-high-speed antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST), covering eight common bacterial species and 14 antibiotics that represent four major bactericidal and bacteriostatic mechanisms. In these early trials, the categorical agreement (CA) rate of the coherent Raman ultra-high-speed AST was 95%, exceeding the 90% threshold required by CLSI standards. Furthermore, while the FDA requires the probability of very major errors (VMEs) to be below 2%, VibroniX’s early trial results demonstrated a VME rate of 0%.

The first miniaturized prototype for coherent Raman-based ultra-rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing has been developed. Regarding the product’s future roadmap, Wang Pu responded, “After completing our Series B financing, we will first optimize the system and then conduct a preliminary clinical study with 300 cases, which is expected to be completed by June 2020. Upon completion, we will proceed with design freeze. Subsequently, it will take approximately one year to transition the product into commercialization, with regulatory submission anticipated in 2021 and market launch following regulatory approval in 2022.”

Regarding the company’s product portfolio, Wang Pu responded, “The Raman-based ultra-rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing instrument is merely VibroniX’s flagship product; the company will subsequently launch new medical devices in the future.” It is reported that another product under VibroniX with relatively advanced development progress is a percutaneous nephrolithotomy navigation system, for which the company is currently planning to seek FDA clearance. In addition, VibroniX is developing various consumables and equipment, including surgical endoscopes and tissue imaging devices, among others.

VibroniX’s products are primarily targeted at the European, American, and Japanese markets. They are sold directly to hospitals, with physicians paying per test rather than patients bearing the cost, thereby reducing inappropriate antibiotic use in hospitals.

It is reported that VibroniX is currently conducting its Series A financing round, with a target of $3.5 million and $500,000 already raised. The proceeds from the Series A round will be used to optimize the prototype of its Raman-based ultra-rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing instrument, conduct 300 preclinical trials, and cover the costs associated with FDA submissions for other products.

VibroniX is currently seeking a new round of financing. Interested parties, please contact VCBeat’s investment assistant, Xiao Yun: DongMai_Investent