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PathSensors Delivering New Wave of Biodefense

Maryland Business News Reported by Christine Hansen | MDbizMedia

Pathsensors, Inc., an environmental testing company housed at the University of Maryland Biopark in Baltimore, has taken its biodefense technology to a new level. The company specializes in developing tests to quickly find pathogens in the infectious disease and biodefense sectors.

Currently, the company has the only product in the market that can detect 21 biological threat agents in three minutes – no other product can detect at that speed. On top of its speedy performance, it is portable, easily operated, and low maintenance.

The device, weighing about 35 pounds, and costing $35,000 apiece, uses the BioFlash-E® technology that is based on the CANARY® (Cellular Analysis and Notification of Antigen Risks and Yields) technology developed my MIT.

Ted Olsen, President of Pathsensors, said the technology delivers extremely rapid detection of pathogens at previously unseen levels of sensitivity and specificity. Accurate results can be obtained in less than 3 minutes by non-expert users.

Since 2007, the company has developed products for the U.S. Department of Defense and companies specializing in defense contracting. Olsen said that Pathsensors has four target markets: building protection, mail room screenings for high profile companies, first responders, and food processing. Today, the company is looking to expand its clientele to major food distributors.

“The place that we are spending a lot of energy and getting a lot of interest today is in the food testing industry and a lot of the big food manufacturing companies,” Ted Olsen, President of Pathsensors said.

The BioFlash-E®is able to help the food companies detect any biological threats, such as salmonella or E. Coli, very early in the manufacturing process.

“We are able to help them detect any kind of pathogen early so that they don’t have to worry about shipping their product out and then have to then issue a recall,” Olsen said.

The device is able to detect some of the most dangerous biological threats including,Bacillus anthracis (anthrax), Ricin toxin (a poison found in Castor beans), Yersinia pestis (bacteria found in rats and other animals that can cause plague), Francisella tularensis (a bacterium found in animals that can cause serious illness), Salmonella (a bacterium that causes serious illness), E. coli (a bacterium that can cause food poisoning), Listeria (a bacterium that can cause food poisoning), Bacillus subtilis (a bacterium that can contaminate food), Botulinum toxin (a toxin that causes Botulism poisoning, a serious and life-threatening illness in humans and animals), and Variola major (a virus that causes Small Pox).

A spin-off of Innovative Biosensors, Inc., Pathsensors moved from its Rockville location to its current location in January of 2011. The company currently has six full-time employees and five part-time employees.