Vegrandis Idea
by March 17, 2003 12:00 am 112 views
Another company in Virtual Incubation Corp.’s portfolio has received a Small Business Innovation Research program grant.
Vergrandis LLC, a biotechnology company in Fayetteville, will soon receive a $70,000 Phase I SBIR award for the development of an improved method for detecting a waterborne pathogen. Ingrid Fritsch, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Arkansas, is the firm’s chief technology officer.
Vergrandis is attempting to place miniature versions of bench-top diagnostic equipment on a small chip, creating laboratory-on-a-chip technology. The firm’s microarrays and smart-chip technology is believed to have serious commercial potential because they will allow for pathogen detection in hours rather than days. Vegrandis’ tests are also expected to cost less.
The pathogen, Cryptosporidium parvum, is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide and is a concern for every water management district.
VIC is providing the business management for Vegrandis, which was founded in April 2002. Nanomech Inc., a creator of nanoparticle coatings in Fayetteville and a VIC client, got two SBIR grants totaling $200,000 in November.