Neuron 2024 award for connecting science and business in the hands of IMC scientists

A team of researchers from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMC), along with representatives of the startup SophoMer s.r.o., the i&i Prague incubator, and the company ELISA development, has received the prestigious Neuron 2024 Award for Connecting Science and Business. The award ceremony took place on Sunday, January 19, at the National Museum in the presence of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.

What is SophoMer™ and Why is it Groundbreaking?

For reliable results in immunodiagnostic in vitro tests, bovine serum albumin (BSA) has traditionally been used. However, BSA does not meet the standards for Animal Component Free materials, exhibits variable parameters and poses a risk of pathogen transmission.

All the challenges mentioned above are resolved with the synthetic molecule SophoMer™ F10. This polymeric material not only eliminates the risks associated with animal products but also improves the stability and efficiency of diagnostic tests.

Head of the Biomedical Polymers Department at IMC, Tomáš Etrych, commented: “The collaboration between our team and SophoMer is highly beneficial for both sides, and we are very pleased that this connection between science and business has been recognized by the Neuron Foundation. We believe this award will serve as an important stimulus for our future cooperation.”

 

From Laboratory to Market

The technology that led to the establishment of SophoMer was initiated by a team of IMC scientists approximately two years ago. "I am very pleased that our joint efforts culminated in a licensing agreement. This marks an important step in ensuring the high-quality work of our researchers finds application in real life. We continue to build on our past successes in transferring basic research results to practice. I believe that this technology from IMC will streamline the effectiveness of immunochemical analyses,” said Jiří Kotek, Director of ÚMCH.

The startup SophoMer s.r.o. was founded in 2022. By January 2023, it had signed a licensing agreement with IMC, ELISA development, and i&i Prague. Two months later, SophoMer™ F10 was sent to customers for testing.

This startup stands out by viewing the project from an industrial and application-oriented perspective from the very beginning, addressing a clearly defined market need. “We are validating our first polymer by co-developing diagnostic kits with the Brno-based company BioVendor, where SophoMer F10 will serve as a standard component. These valuable experiences are further utilized at i&i Prague when preparing incubation plans for other projects,” said Jiří Moos, who, together with Jan Plicka, co-founded the project.

Currently, four diagnostic kits are in development, one of which will soon reach the market. “We also have a newly defined portfolio of innovative polymers on which we are working intensively,” added Martin Burkhard, CEO of SophoMer s.r.o.

 

Award Ceremony

The Neuron 2024 Award for Connecting Science and Business was received on behalf of IMC by the Head of the Biomedical Polymers Department, Tomáš Etrych, along with his colleagues Libor Kostka and Vladimír Šubr. The startup SophoMer s.r.o. was represented by its CEO Martin Burkhard, as well as Jiří Moos, CEO of i&i Prague, and Jan Plicka from ELISA development.