RIM creates microfluidic device in record time

During the development of new technology for the diagnosis of cancer, Stokes Bio turned to rapid injection moulding for fully functioning prototypes, achieving a design-to-parts cycle in just 15 days

Stokes Bio is a spin-off business from the University of Limerick’s Stokes Research Institute. It was formed, with the aid of one million Euros of venture capital funding, to develop systems for the early diagnosis of cancer. A key component of this diagnostic technology, is the microfluidic ‘card’ – a polycarbonate tray that houses 48 FEP polymer wells (and caps).

Small quantities of fluid samples delivered by a pipette are mixed with reagents in each well, and the resulting gene expression levels provide Stokes Bio’s analysis equipment with the data required to identify the type of disease and thus the drugs and radiation therapies required to treat it. The advantages of this approach are early and accurate diagnoses; it is also an extremely cost effective test as each well only requires as little as 30nl of fluid, compared with the 5ml typically required by existing systems.

“From day one we’ve had tremendous interest in our work,” explains director and co-founder, Professor Mark Davies. “But we had to have fully functioning prototypes as soon as possible to enhance our chances of success by many orders of magnitude. We are not the only company undertaking research in this field and we wanted our system to be first to market.”

Following a personal recommendation of the services offered by Protomold from a fellow delegate at a conference, Professor Davies made initial contact with the Telford-based rapid injection moulding (RIM) specialist. Stokes Bio Senior Engineer, Dr Kieran Curran, takes up the story.

“We supplied Protomold with a CAD file and the company’s ProtoQuote system made recommendations about how the design could be improved to suit injection moulding,” he explains. “After further discussions we placed an order with the company to supply sets of prototype components, with each set comprising the polycarbonate card/tray along with 48 FEP polymer wells and caps.” The prototypes were delivered to Stokes Bio in just 15 days: the lead-time agreed between the two companies.

“Protomold hit all the tolerances and we assembled the parts with ease,” Dr Curran recalls. “Overall our experience of using this RIM specialist has been exceptionally positive and an additional benefit was that the company’s investors were able to see working prototypes.”

Stokes Bio expects to have its system involved in hospital trials this year, working alongside existing technology. Several sites in the US have been identified along with the Peterson Institute for Cancer Research in Manchester, UK.

“Protomold played a big part in helping us get to the stage we’re at today,” concludes Prof Davies.

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