Interview with 1DROP, the drop that is revolutionizing medical diagnostics
Startup 1DROP is one of Microcity's first tenants. The company is revolutionizing medical diagnostics. Interview with founder Luc Gervais.
"Time is tissue," say cardiovascular surgeons confronted with myocardial infarction.
A phrase that resonates in Luc Gervais' head as confirmation that his product can save lives. His box makes it possible to diagnose cardiovascular disease in real time, from anywhere, with just a single drop of blood. This is also the case for analyses of organ function and autoimmune or infectious diseases, such as Covid, HIV or Ebola.
The problem is that we can't work on everything at once," explains the biotech engineer. We're concentrating on applications that have the greatest market potential, but also the greatest impact on life. This is particularly the case with cardiovascular and infectious diseases.
A miniature laboratory
For autoimmune diseases, the 1DROP device even offers the possibility of testing at home. About the size of a milk carton, this miniature laboratory can be taken anywhere. As a result, patients suffering from Crohn's disease or rheumatoid arthritis can assess when a painful inflammatory peak is about to appear, and act accordingly.
"We still have to obtain FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approval and CE marking, but our solution is already available for research, in pharmaceutical companies as well as organizations like NASA," enthuses the Montreal-born biosensor specialist. Their product has already been tested in weightlessness in 2020, on board the International Space Station (ISS).
Ten years in the making
For ten years now, 1DROP has been focusing all its energy on adding value to a single drop of blood. Founded in 2011 in Luc Gervais' kitchen, the company moved to Microcity, formerly Neode, in 2013, being among the first start-ups on site. A year later, the Luc Gervais and Jörg Ziegler duo won the CHF 300,000 BCN prize. The medtech company now has 15 employees and has recently moved to the Monruz district of Neuchâtel. It is currently recruiting. Its suppliers are local SMEs, such as P. Bercher SA in Cernier, which manufactures the biochip molding.
A Neuchâtel cocoon that the polyglot - he speaks five languages, including Mandarin - has completely adopted. After arriving in Zurich at IBM's research center 14 years ago, Luc Gervais joinedEPFL honorary professor Nico De Rooij in Neuchâtel for his doctoral thesis. The destination is ideal for this Canadian with a passion for mountains and nature.
What's next? The company is ten years old and not yet profitable, but the revenues are there. "Above all, every day we realize the enormous potential of 1DROP, as we receive daily requests from people interested in our device," says the man who has always dreamed of putting his scientific research into practice.
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Source : Microcity
