Microfluidic Viscometer Technology - Enabling the Measurement of the Viscosity of Microliter-Volume Liquids

微流控粘度计技术 - 实现微升体积液体粘度的测量

• 批准号: 580682-2023
• 负责人: Ren, CarolynCL
• 金额: $ 8.27万
• 依托单位: University of Waterloo
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Idea to Innovation
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=760383
• 关键词: Microfluidic; Viscometer; Technology; Enabling; Measurement

The viscometer & rheometer market generated US $648.6 million in 2021 and is expected to reach 1 billion by 2029 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate of 6.79%. Microfluidic viscometers are used in pharmaceutical applications, where drugs should have a viscosity similar to blood so that it can be easily miscible with the blood. One such application is the 'syringeability' of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), which are engineered molecules to serve as substitute antibodies that can restore, enhance, modify or mimic the immune system's attack on undesired cells such as cancer cells. These drugs are typically formulated at high concentrations (<100 mg/ml) resulting in high viscosities and thereby posing challenges for syringeability and manufacturing. The state-of-the-art microfluidic viscometers present trade-offs between the sample volume (e.g., cone/plate rheometers), cost (to run a test or purchase a unit) and sheer rate ranges, ultimately resulting in either lost product or high-quality control/research & development costs. This research team has developed a novel, affordable, scalable and efficient microfluidic viscometer that addresses these shortcomings and trade-off dilemmas. The core technology is a consumable microfluidic chip that allows the viscosity of minuscule volumes of Newtonian and non-Newtonian liquids to be measured by monitoring their controlled motion using a camera. Feedback from the external partners including Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions Ltd. (Cambridge, ON) and Dr. Bijoy Bera (Delft University of Technology, Netherlands) will be used to develop a suitable surface coating for mAb solution. This will result in a uniform channel surface property reducing sample adhesion, and improving the accuracy of the measured shear stress, ultimately improving the performance of the UW invention. Preliminary testing of these proposed improvements in promising applications (mAb rheological characterization) will be performed in collaboration with our partners/potential customers. The results of the planned beta trials and application testing will help establish target market vertical(s), timing of a possible startup company's creation, and a go-to-market strategy.

粘度计和流变仪市场在 2021 年创造了 6.486 亿美元的收入，预计到 2029 年将达到 10 亿美元，复合年增长率为 6.79%。微流体粘度计用于制药应用，其中药物应具有与血液相似的粘度，以便能够轻松与血液混溶。其中一项应用是单克隆抗体 (mAb) 的“可注射性”，单克隆抗体是一种工程分子，可作为替代抗体，可以恢复、增强、改变或模拟免疫系统对癌细胞等不需要的细胞的攻击。这些药物通常以高浓度（<100 mg/ml）配制，导致高粘度，从而对注射性和制造提出挑战。最先进的微流体粘度计在样品体积（例如锥/板流变仪）、成本（运行测试或购买单元）和绝对速率范围之间进行权衡，最终导致产品损失或高质量控制/研发成本。 该研究团队开发了一种新型、经济实惠、可扩展且高效的微流体粘度计，解决了这些缺点和权衡困境。 核心技术是一种消耗性微流控芯片，可以通过使用摄像头监控其受控运动来测量极小体积的牛顿和非牛顿液体的粘度。 Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions Ltd.（安大略省剑桥）和 Bijoy Bera 博士（荷兰代尔夫特理工大学）等外部合作伙伴的反馈将用于开发适合 mAb 溶液的表面涂层。 这将导致均匀的通道表面特性，减少样品粘附，并提高测量的剪切应力的准确性，最终提高华盛顿大学发明的性能。 我们将与我们的合作伙伴/潜在客户合作，对这些有前途的应用（mAb 流变学表征）中提出的改进进行初步测试。计划的 Beta 试验和应用程序测试的结果将有助于确定目标市场垂直领域、可能的初创公司创建的时机以及进入市场的策略。