DoD awards $2.2 million to CombiMatrix for bioterrorism solution

The Pentagon has awarded a one-year, $2.2 million contract to the Mukiteo, Washington-based CombiMatrix group of Newport Beach, Califronia-based Acacia Research Corporation(Nasdaq: CBMX)(Nasdaq: ACTG) for further development of its microarray technologies for a multipathogen- and chemical-detection system. Under previously funded programs with the DoD, CombiMatrix has demonstrated that its products could simultaneously detect toxins, viruses, and bacteria using its semiconductor-based microarrays. Tne company says that what is unique to this platform is its “on chip” electrochemical detection process, which eliminates the need for complex, expensive, and less-portable optical instrumentation. These systems are currently in use at several military and government laboratories as well as civilian installations.

Dr. David Danley, director of Homeland Security and Defense Programs at CombiMatrix said that “The events in the U.K., in June, underscore the need for better technologies and products to address the constant threat of terrorist activities. Although the terrorist activity utilized explosives, the threat of chemical or biological weapons persists…. Our products are being designed to address biothreat agents as well as infectious diseases of public-health concern, including influenza A and the ‘Bird flu’ subtype along with other upper-respiratory infections.”

Dr. Amit Kumar, president and CEO of CombiMatrix, said that his group’s work with the DoD to address infectious diseases fits nicely with its strategy of developing products for the molecular-diagnostics and the personalized-medicine market segments. “We continue to develop additional products, including those being funded by the US DoD, to ensure a broad and integrated suite of tools to detect and to identify threats to the health of humans and animals regardless of their origin,” he said