Ambri system makes clinical debut

The first diagnostic system to use an ion-channel switch, able to sense tiny concentrations of a specific molecule, has been installed in the pathology laboratory at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital.

Pathologists will use the small bench top instrument to conduct blood tests for pregnancy in five minutes, as part of a performance-assessment of the new system. Another evaluation will take place at Sydney's St Vincent's Hospital in June.

The system, known as SensiDX, is the result of 10 years of research which began at CSIRO, continued at the CRC for Molecular Engineering, and now being commercialised by publicly-listed Ambri (ASX:ABI).

Dr Bruce Cornell, Ambri's chief scientist, explained that the trial would take six to eight weeks, and provide statistical data on the performance of the system.

The first molecule tested using SensiDX will be human chorionic gonadotropin, which indicates pregnancy. Cornell said Ambri was considering tests for 15 to 20 other molecules, including ferritin, thyroxin, thyroxin stimulating hormone, digoxin and streptokinase.

Ambri CEO Dr Jonathan Wright explained that quick results using the system would both provide benefits in patient care and in use of hospital resources, avoiding delays and expensive tests.

The technology uses a synthetic mimic of a nerve cell membrane, studded with gramicidin ion-channels. Antibodies fragments are tethered to the surface of these ion channels and when the antibodies recognise a target molecule, an electric current is triggered. The concentration of the molecule can be determined by the rate at which the current decreases. The device is sensitive to the level of one to two ion-channels being triggered.

Wright said Ambri hoped to file for regulatory approval of SensiDX with the TGA by the middle of next year.