Business project
CANTIRED is a newly-formed company dedicated to the development and marketing of devices for the identification of pathogens and organic molecules, availing of the “cantilever” technology developed in the Politecnico di Torino (Polytechnic University of Turin). Two patents have been filed. The prototypes developed are currently used in the field of Research Projects in which primary private and public bodies are involved such as, for example, the Politecnico di Torino (Polytechnic University of Turin), the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Turin, the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale (Centre for Veterinary Epidemiology) of Piedmont, Liguria and Valle d’Aosta.
Technical content
The devices and systems produced offer the possibility of identifying the presence of unwanted microorganisms and molecules with a much higher precision than the state of the art (more than one order of magnitude) and with a drastic reduction in measurement times (from days to hours); with an automated configuration they also give the added advantage of cost effectiveness.
Level of Detection (LOD) in applications for in vitro diagnostic laboratories in the biomedical industry:
- Tumour markers (LOD few picogrammes, uncert. of 0.5%, high sensitivity)
- Bacteria (LOD 10cfu/mL)
- Allergens (LOD less than 1ppm)
Level of Detection in applications for veterinary epidemiology institutes for biosensors can be used for quality control in the agro-food industry:
- Toxins (LOD less than 3ppb)
- Oestrogens (LOD less than 5ppt whereas the limit in the EU for meat is 40ppt)
Final outlet market and products
In the agro-food industry the metabolite deemed to be of most interest for this type of analysis is oestrogen “17 b-estradiol”, one of the most widely used anabolic agents to accelerate the growth of cattle, deemed to be carcinogenic and banned by the EU. The current limit for meat is 40 PPT (parts per trillion), due to the fact that the instruments currently in use are not capable of detecting lower concentrations. Using the CANTIRED device the aim is to identify the presence also in the event of a concentration of 1 PPT. This result has already been reached in the laboratory using a prototype.
In the biomedical industry the most important advantages are the reduction in time and costs for in vitro analyses to prevent the spreading of pathogenic elements in hospitals.
Financial data
Investment required: 500,000.00 euro for equity shares to be defined.
Turnover: 18.53 Mil. Euro (in the 5th year) – EBITDA: 30.64% (in the 5th year). NPV: 1.66 Mil. Euro; IRR:33%
Founders and key persons involved
Luciano S. and Sergio F., researchers in the Politecnico di Torino (Polytechnic University of Turin)
Francesco L., electronics engineer in the biomedical sector.
For more information write to: info@metcompany.eu
Disclaimer
This document is a brief presentation of a possible private business venture. It does not in any way commit MET Company S.r.l. and is not intended to solicit investments. MET Company Srl is prepared to put all detailed economical and technical documents required for further examination at the disposal of interested parties subject to the signing of an NDA.