Fayetteville, Arkansas— Vegrandis LLC has received a Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award from the Environmental Protection Agency for $225,000 to continue the development of technology for the rapid detection of pathogens in the water supply.   The Phase II award follows the successful completion of a Phase I project that demonstrated the feasibility and advantages of Vegrandis’ patented and patents pending technology.

The instrument being developed by Vegrandis is unique in its ability to rapidly detect low levels of viable (living) pathogens in the water supply.  The specific pathogens of interest in this Phase II project are Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia.  These pathogens are difficult to remove using conventional drinking water treatment processes and can cause outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness that lead to loss of life in extreme cases and cost millions of dollars in terms of lost wages, lost productivity, medical bills and emergency room visits.  The detection methods that are currently available to drinking water treatment facilities require shipment of water samples to specialized laboratories.  The turn around time for analysis makes it impossible for drinking water treatment facilities to respond rapidly to a contamination event.

Vegrandis’ patented and patents pending micro-electrochemical detection technology is exclusively licensed from the University of Arkansas.  The unique technology allows analysis of water samples on-site at drinking water treatment facilities in less than one hour and distinguishes live organisms from ones that have been killed in the treatment process.  The speed of the analysis will allow water processors to respond rapidly to a contamination event and will optimize the disinfection process.  Furthermore, Vegrandis’ instrument will allow processors to be certain that all organisms have been killed in the treatment process before the water is released to the public.

Dr. Zoraida Aguilar, Chief Scientist at Vegrandis says, “The development of this technology is important both for drinking water processors and the public.  It will greatly speed up the time for analysis and will eliminate the false positive results arising from the detection of non-viable organisms that have been killed by the treatment process.”

Vegrandis strives to develop highly marketable products that will reduce the burden of human disease and improve quality of life across the globe.  This is the company’s tenth SBIR/STTR award totaling over $3 million since April, 2003.

For more information on Virtual Incubation or Vegrandis, LLC, check the website at www.virtual-incubation.com.