Press Release - November 7, 2019
​
Ceres Nanosciences Launches Nanotrap® Virus Capture Kit
​
Baltimore, MD — November 7, 2019 — Ceres Nanosciences, Inc. (Ceres) announced today the commercial release of the Nanotrap Virus Capture Kit. The Nanotrap Virus Capture Kit concentrates whole virus particles from complex biological matrices, resulting in high quality input material for a range of downstream analytical methods, including multiplex nucleic acid assays, protein assays, and infectivity assays.
“Many of the samples in the lab have very low concentrations of viruses and we know that every scientist worries about missing out on that next important result,” said Robbie Barbero, Ph.D., Chief Business Officer of Ceres Nanosciences. “By enabling the use of larger sample volumes without disrupting the downstream workflow, the Nanotrap Virus Capture Kit helps scientists find those low abundance viruses.”
Ceres has been working with leading infectious disease labs for several years to optimize this technology for virus applications, which has led to several important publications in the field.
​
“We recognize that many research and clinical scientists want to be able to use the Nanotrap technology for their own virus applications,” said Ben Lepene, Chief Technology Officer of Ceres Nanosciences. “With our new configurations of magnetically functionalized and lyophilized Nanotrap Virus Particles, we now have a product that easily integrates with established downstream workflows.”
Ceres is launching the Nanotrap Virus Capture Kit at the Association of Molecular Pathology 2019 Annual Meeting & Expo in Baltimore, MD with data demonstrating increased nucleic acid yield and compatibility with multiple commercial nucleic acid kits for influenza virus samples, as well as an application note demonstrating the use of the Nanotrap Virus Particles to improve detection of Zika virus in urine samples. Ceres and its collaborators have also demonstrated how the Nanotrap technology can be used to improve non-molecular assays including protein assays and infectivity assays.
“We’ve already demonstrated that we can improve detection of respiratory viruses like influenza and RSV, as well as emerging viruses like Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika,” said Ross Dunlap, Chief Executive Officer of Ceres Nanosciences. “This is a very versatile product, and I’m eager to learn from our customers what new applications are enabled by it.”
​
​
About Ceres Nanosciences, Inc.
Ceres Nanosciences is a privately held company, located in Prince William County, Virginia, focused on incorporating its novel Nanotrap® particle technology into a range of diagnostic and research products and workflows. The Nanotrap® particle technology can improve diagnostic testing by capturing, concentrating, and preserving low abundance analytes from biological samples. The Nanotrap® particle technology was developed with support from the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Schmidt Futures, the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Learn more, including how Ceres is partnering with leading life science, bio-pharmaceutical, and diagnostic companies at www.ceresnano.com.
Press Contact:
Ross M. Dunlap
Ceres Nanosciences, Inc
1.800.615.0418 ext. 202
​
​