Zymtronix Catalytic Systems, Inc. Wins Phase I Grant with USDA NIFA

InteliSpark client Zymtronix Catalytic Systems, Inc. has won a $100,000 contract with the United States Department of Agriculture, National Institute of Food and Agriculture for the Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project, “A Seed-Coating Mixed Enzyme Formula for the Control of Fungal and Bacterial Pathogens”.

This project seeks to improve food security through the development of a novel crop disease management tool. Modern agriculture relies on the heavy use of pesticides to control plant diseases and protect crops from significant losses, and many of the most important disease control products are quickly losing efficacy due to resistance development.

Consequences of pesticide use include potentially negative effects on human health and the environment and selection for pesticide resistance, and the increased use of pesticides since 1960 has not resulted in a significant decrease in crop losses. Novel crop protection solutions will ensure crops are protected against diseases amid global trade and a changing climate which threaten to introduce or increase the severity of diseases in areas where they were previously insignificant. More sustainable practices are needed to protect arable lands from deterioration against the backdrop of intensive agricultural production as well as to protect effective pesticides from becoming obsolete through the selection of resistant pests and pathogens.

 This novel method will reduce reliance on existing agrochemicals like fungicides and antibiotics, thereby decreasing the likelihood of resistance development while simultaneously providing an alternative, effective method for managing a broad spectrum of major crop diseases. The ultimate goal is to introduce a novel disease management product into the agricultural market which will reduce losses due to disease, increase profitability for seedling producers and farmers, reduce the occurrence of pesticide resistance, and reduce reliance on synthetic agricultural chemicals.

INNOVEIN, INC Wins Phase I Grant with NSF

InteliSpark client Innovein, Inc has won a $225,000 contract with the National Science Foundation for the Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project, "Venous Valve Prosthesis as a Cure for Chronic Venous Insufficiency.”

Innovein develops a prosthetic valve technology aimed for patients that suffer from chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). They developed a novel prosthetic valve to treat underperforming veins by targeting the underlying cause of the disease. As people begin to age, valves in their veins of their legs can begin to function poorly, causing blood to build up in the ankles due to gravity. This starts a chain reaction in the body that leads to pain and/or swelling of the feet, skin discoloration and open wounds by the ankles.

Since there are not any approved venous valves in the market, treatment for CVI is limited to wound care and skin grafts. These restricted options of treatment can be costly for non-healing venous stasis ulcers. Innovein’s proposed technology will work to treat CVI while alleviating complications that are related to prior attempts at valve prostheses, including valve breakdown and formation of blood clots. Given the tremendous costs associated with valve prostheses attempts, Innovein’s approach will leverage with being minimally invasive and offering up to a 40% reduction in the cost of care within the first year of treatment.

Innovein’s objectives are to build the device, compare iterations on the bench and validate the technology in animals. This lays the foundation for future clinical trials and the end goal of usage in the broader population. The proposed project will allow for further research and validation of safety and function of the described approach and progress to commercialization.

SAMPLE6 TECHNOLOGIES, INC. Wins Grant from NIAID

InteliSpark client Sample6 Technologies was awarded $764,355 for the Phase I portion of their project, Enrichment-Free Salmonella Detection for Food Safety, from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Sample6 has developed a new technology, based on the proprietary Bioillumination PlatformTM, which uses a novel synthetic engineering approach to leverage the natural specificity of bacteriophage to detect the presence of specific bacterial species.

Every year over one million people become ill due to foodborne Salmonella infections. Salmonella is the leading cause for foodborne illness hospitalizations (23,000 cases; 35%) and deaths (450 cases; 28%). Salmonella has an enormous impact on the economy, causing $3.7 billion in costs in the United States each year; 90% of this burden ($3.3 million) is due to deaths. The primary mode of Salmonella infection is through food, mainly raw or undercooked meat, raw eggs and unwashed vegetables.

Current detection methods for Salmonella are slow to provide actionable results, making it difficult to take the necessary steps in controlling the pathogen. Sample6 DETECT/S system contains engineered bacteriophages, which can identify Salmonella spp. to induce production of luminescent enzymes, upon infection of the target cells, which effectively illuminates Salmonella. This signal can be measured with the Sample6 Luminometer and represents the world's first enrichment-free pathogen diagnostic system. Sample6 has previously established feasibility that the DETECT/S assay can be adapted for finished product testing to detect Salmonella directly on food products that are prone to contamination.

For the Direct-to- Phase II project, the proposal is to complete the development of our technology to detect Salmonella on additional foods to achieve validation as laid out in AOAC guidelines. We will expand the testing to include 400 Salmonella isolates belonging to clinically relevant serotypes, and complete assay development for 20 food matrices representing all commercially relevant categories, including low-moisture foods. Finally, develop non-replicating phage technology for BioIllumination Platform to further increase our reach in the market, both domestically and internationally.

FAS HOLDINGS GROUP wins Phase I NSF SBIR Grant

InteliSpark client FAS Holdings Group has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth $225,000. The grant is for the SBIR Phase I project, "Scalable fabrication of stable perovskite solar panels using slot-die coating technique"

FAS Holdings Group is revolutionizing the United States’ solar cell market with a low cost, high efficiency approach. This development is of high national interest due to solar power’s broad potential to support U.S. priorities such as; economic growth, job creation and even climate change. Furthermore, solar energy costs are still high and there are technological innovations that are needed to lower the costs while increasing efficiency.

Perovskite solar cell efficiency have spiked to over 22% in just five years of research, which competes with CdTe and Si-based solar panels. Perovskite inks are made from Earth-abundant, inexpensive precursors and can be printed on plastic foils. Printing on plastic foils significantly reduces their manufacturing and installation costs. Before commercialization of this technology, stability and feasibility of reliable, scalable manufacturing of large-area panels have to be established. This project seeks to connect the dots and develop manufacturing technology that can contend in terms of cost and performance across the board with solar panels and even conventional fossil fuel-based energy sources.

In addition to the previously mentioned objectives, FAS is aiming to manufacture perovskite photovoltaic devices using an industry-proven slot die coating method. Most research lab perovskite solar cell devices are fabricated via spin casting and have a device area of less than 1 sq. cm Even with impressive progress, its commercial viable scalability and reliability have not been demonstrated yet. Through the course of the project, a proven technology for a large-scale area processing and robust high-yield manufacturing will be used, slot -die coating. The slot die coating and air stable p-i-n devices architecture to manufacture perovskite solar panel with a target power conversion efficiency of 20%. The operational lifetime of more than 10,000 hours, power-to-weight ratio of 1 kW/kg and target manufacturing cost of less than $0.3/W equals a more than 40% reduction in costs when compared to industry leading photovoltaic technologies.

InteliSpark is now an approved SBIR/STTR service provider for Pennsylvania's Innovation Partnership

We are excited to announce that InteliSpark has recently become an approved SBIR/STTR service provider for Pennsylvania's Innovation Partnership.  The Innovation Partnership is a consortium of economic development and business assistance organizations located throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Their goal is to help early-stage technology companies in Pennsylvania secure federal funding opportunities.

The Innovation Partnership Preferred Provider (PP) Listing is offered as a courtesy to IPart, SBIR/STTR and federal funding assistance clients who are seeking the help of experienced grant-writing professionals. The listing gives a brief description of the products and services which might be offered by the provider to clients as well as their technology focus/federal agency experience or specialization areas.

Pre-Proposal Assistance Program

Financial Support for Grant Preparation in the form ofawards of up to $3,000 for Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal preparation and up to $10,000 for Phase II

DexMat Wins Phase II NASA Contract

InteliSpark client Dexmat has won a $750k contract with NASA for the Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project, "Lightweight CNT Shielded Cables for Space Applications."

DexMat manufactures high performance products made from Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) for a new generation of consumer and commercial applications. They developed a novel CNT deposition process for directly applying CNTs onto dielectric materials to produce an electrically conductive EMI shield. By placing a premium on the quality of raw CNTs, DexMat has created a product with increased potential to reduce cable weight while minimizing insertion losses when incorporated into wire.

Lightweight CNT shielded cables would provide a significant cost-effectiveness by reducing weight in space applications. DexMat technology offers a significant weight reduction, up to 80%, in these wires resulting in a noteworthy cost savings for launched vehicles. Given the tremendous costs associated with satellite launches, the NASA will see significant savings from our CNT-based wire.

After showing successful integration into the aviation manufacturing industry, DexMat plans to expand CNTs into the textile, sensors and medical devices, electronics, energy storage and structural industries. CNTs offer significant improvements to existing technologies in these industries and could outperform current state-of-the-art products on the market.

WntRx wins Phase I NIH STTR grant

InteliSpark client WntRx has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grant worth $225,000 funded by the National Cancer Institute. The grant is for the STTR project, "Investigation of Antibody-Drug Conjugates of a Novel Target." This will enable WntRx to compete for a NIH Phase II STTR award.

WntRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. is building on the promise of Wnt signaling by applying its unique capabilities to discover and develop non-toxic, selective drugs for the treatment of patients with critical unmet medical needs. The company focuses on the development of novel, safe, selective, oncogenic specific inhibitors of Wnt signaling active in the treatment of cancer.

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) are monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are covalently linked to cell-killing drugs and have emerged as a major modality in anti-cancer treatment. As antibody engineering and linker-payload optimization are becoming mature, the discovery and development of new ADCs is increasingly dependent on the identification and validation of new targets that are suitable to this approach.

 LGR4 (leucine-rich repeat containing, G protein-coupled receptor 4) is a seven transmembrane domain receptor that is highly upregulated expression in the majority of solid tumors, including colorectal, lung, and ovarian cancers. LGR4 functions as a receptor of the R-spondin group of stem cell factors to potentiate Wnt signaling.

WntRX has generated and characterized a panel of highly potent and specific mAbs against native LGR4. Preliminary data showed that LGR4 mAbs conjugated with a potent cytotoxin were able to inhibit the growth of several cancer cell lines with high LGR4 expression in vitro and tumor xenografts in vivo. Here we propose to determine the potency, efficacy, and therapeutic window of anti-LGR4 ADCs in xenograft models of patient-derived tumors to establish proof-of-principle for the use of LGR4-targeded ADCs for the treatment of LGR4-high tumors. These results and conclusions may, for the first time, validate LGR4 as a novel target for the development of ADC-based therapeutics that has the potential to treat a large population of cancer patients.

ArhcieMD, Inc. wins Phase I DHA STTR Contract

InteliSpark client ArchieMD, Inc. has been awarded a Defense Health Agency (DHA) Phase I Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract worth $149,993. The grant is for the STTR project “Dynamic Virtual Moulage Base on Thin Film Adhesive Displays.”

The goal of the STTR project is to provide Army combat medics with a meaningful experience in treating injuries obtained on the battlefield during particular challenges. Moulage has great potential to aid in acquiring preparatory experience for distressing real life emergencies that medics and soldiers encounter in the field. The current approach to moulage is limited in the ability to reflect the impact of treatment decisions the trainee makes during the simulation.

This is where ArchieMD proposed to develop a dynamic moulage technology with the ability to morph to reflect changes in medical simulation scenarios. A very think and flexible electronic sticker that adheres to the skin will show a variety of dynamic information, including vital signs, disease progression and response to treatment or treatment error to provide the trainee with information about clinical progression and changes in the physiological state of the simulated patient. This could potentially lead to improvements in critical thinking, assessment and response time.

ArchieMD’s technology can be easily attached to and removed from mannequins, simulated proxy body parts, or real persons, allowing integration with existing simulation systems. It could also be commercialized to benefit EMS and other first responders undergoing training simulations.

SensoDX NIDCR SBIR Fast Track Project advances to Phase II

InteliSpark client SensoDX II LLC  awarded the Phase II portion of a National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research Fast Track Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) . The grant is for the SBIR project “Lab-on-a-Chip-Based System for Detection and Monitoring of Oral Cancer in Dental Settings.” SensoDX II focuses on creating state-of-the-art multi-parameter point-of-care diagnostic solutions that provide test information directly to patients and healthcare providers through intuitive mobile health interfaces.

Oral cavity and pharynx cancers are among the most serious cancers. There are about 400,000 incidents globally. In the U.S., the 5-year survival rate is about 64% among the lowest for all forms of cancer. When diagnosed during an early stage, the survival rate increases dramatically to 83%. However, oral cavity and pharynx cancers are among the most expensive cancers to treat due to the fact that most cases are advanced at the time of diagnoses.

Under the SBIR project, SensoDX fast Track application seeks to shift the current clinical practice paradigm for screening and diagnosis of potentially malignant oral lesions by moving away from the sole reliance on invasive scalpel biopsies followed by expensive and time consuming pathology exams to a new paradigm whereby noninvasive brush biopsies are combined with a state-of-the-art `cytology-on-a-chip' system for on the spot analysis of samples. This new technology will afford for the first-time single cell analysis of cytology specimens at the point-of-care. These powerful chip-based tools, along with new diagnostic models, have strong promise to improve the way screening and diagnosis of oral cancer is completed on a global basis.

The SensoDX OraTechTM sampling device and integrated OraTechTM cartridge together are projected to form the first effective adjunctive diagnostic aid capable of management of malignant and potentially malignant oral lesions on a rapid time frame with high sensitivity and high specificity. Diagnostic models based on biomarker data derived from these powerful chip-based tools, alongside lesion characteristics obtained from a customized mHealth App will allow for an elegant data fusion process to occur whereby lesion characteristics, risk factors and the numerous cytology factors yield the desperately needed clinical insights for patients suffering from oral cancer.

In second major phase, the consumables will be scaled, manufacturing processes will be developed and the instrumentation and cartridges will be validated using banked specimens.

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Shasqi wins Phase II NSF SBIR grant

InteliSpark client Shasqi, Inc. has been awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant worth $749,906. The grant is for the SBIR project “Biomaterials and Chemistry to Enhance the Delivery of Medicines in the Body.” Shasqi, Inc. is a company that has created a new technology to deliver drugs to specific areas in the body. 

The goal of the SBIR project is to improve a new technology to deliver medicine to specific parts of the body. Local medical problems are issues that affect only one specific part of the body such as your knee. These issues are regularly treated with medicines that spread throughout the entire body and only a small portion actually reaches where it needs to. A medication that reaches its intended target would be ideal. Unfortunately, the majority of medications in the market are not ideal.

Under the SBIR project, Shasqi, Inc. is working on a drug delivery technology allowing implantable material to mark a particular spot of the body where a procedure was done. The drug lasts for a few weeks and allows for the medication a patient is taking to concentrate and activate at the specific area of the body where the drug was implanted instead of all over the body.

The project will determine the Shasqi, Inc. ability to release different drug payloads in vitro and in vivo. These advances will improve drug approval rates, reduce the cost of drug development and bring medicine closer to the ideal medication for local medical problems.

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