Hitachi Co-develops Compact Automatic Virus Detection System with Takara Bio

Main Category: Medical Devices / Diagnostics
Article Date: 17 Oct 2005 - 0:00 PDT

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Tokyo - Hitachi, Ltd. has developed compact automatic virus detection system jointly with Takara Bio. The system comprises Hitachi's proprietary virus collection system and virus genes analyzer, developed based on Takara Bio's ICAN (Isothermal and Chimeric P- rimer-Initiated Amplification of Nucleic Acids) method.

Equipped with two MEMS (Micro Electro Mechanical Systems) chips, the system saves significantly virus collection and analysis processes, which used to require a week or so, so making the tot- al system fit within 50(W)x45(L) cm.

Setting the MEMS chips, which concentrate and collect virus through the collector, inside the analyzer allows for detection of the virus genes in 40 to 120 minutes. After the process, only the chips need dispo- sing of, which helps reduce examiners' chance to be virus-affected.

Hitachi expects the portable system to meet on-spot virus detection needs at care facilities for the elderly, food processing factories, airports and seaports. It aims for sales - of total 10 billion yen for the next three years.

By Aki Tsukioka, JCN Staff Writer

-- View Hitachi, Ltd. company profile here
-- View Takara Bio Inc. company profile here

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