Biotech in Russia

24 startups (and who supports them)

Anton Savchenkov, Rusbase

The MSU Science Park last year launched the accelerator "Formula Biotech-2016". The program helped young scientists and entrepreneurs to develop projects in the biotechnology industry. The project was supported by RVC and Innopraktika.

Large businesses have chosen niches for startups. Several dozen companies – industrial partners of the program (manufacturers of medicines, medical equipment, etc.) – published their requests for technologies, described the tasks they would like to solve with the help of scientists. In response to requests, those who wished began to send applications with projects. 180 young scientists were selected from 500 applicants, who formed 25 teams (24 teams reached the final).

The teams were asked to choose one or more of the problems proposed by the business and develop a solution within six months. In parallel, the participants took an educational course on entrepreneurship.

Some teams have already made their first sales. Others are still undergoing the certification procedure and are finalizing their product (therefore, they do not have websites or company names yet).

Rusbase talks about what projects the accelerator participating teams are engaged in. 

Some of the projects that are not related to the life sciences are skipped here. You can read about them in the original article – VM.

Developments in the field of medicine

"Sol-gel"

"Sol-gel" is the "second" skin that heals clean wounds (clean wounds are those where there are no signs of infection, there is no pus and any pathological processes).

A team of researchers from Moscow State University and MITHT (Lomonosov Moscow State University of Fine Chemical Technologies) has developed a substance and the principle of its application to the wound, allowing to do without bandages and splints. "Sol-gel" is a remedy that hardens and fixes on the wound. The creators assure that it does not cause discomfort and does not require dressing skills.

The basis of the "Sol-gel" is chitosan – aminopolysaccharide, which has absorbent and wound–healing properties. The researchers say that the substance hardens in a few minutes and turns into a dense gel pad. "Sol-gel" can cover clean wounds of various shapes, use it as a face mask after cosmetic procedures.

The mentor of the project is Ivan Afanasov, the founder of the company "Napoli", which produces a dissolving patch.

A team of doctors and engineers from Moscow has released a device that allows you to treat a spinal hernia without sending the patient under the surgeon's knife. The device combines electrical and mechanical effects directly through the skin on a spinal hernia. It is reported that the patient does not need to take pills or inject injections. The device has several modes that allow you to change the depth of penetration of the drug mixture, starting from the muscles and ending with the bones of the spine. It is reported that this approach allows you to relieve the patient from pain, as well as treat the root cause of hernia.

The partner of the project is Clinic No. 1. The partner provides the team with a platform to work on the prototype and conduct experiments.

Filter materials with antimicrobial activity

Residents of cities, construction workers and medical institutions will benefit from a filter material developed by a startup from Moscow with antimicrobial activity. The materials protect against viruses, bacteria, dust and smoke.

Traditional materials – spunbonds (thermally bonded polypropylene or polyester) – are only mechanical barriers to particles and cannot be considered as filters, although most medical masks today consist of them.

A team of researchers has created a combined filter material that traps aerosols in both the submicron and nanometer ranges. It is reported that this provides 99% efficiency – twice as high as that of analogues. Special characteristics are achieved by applying a nanofiber polymer layer to a charged microfibre material – meltblown. The development looks like an ordinary piece of fabric made of polymers. The cost of the developed filter material will be comparable to the price of competitors on the Russian market – 300-500 rubles per kilogram.

According to the developers, the material has increased barrier properties against splashes and microbiological aerosols, and at the same time it passes air well. The product is intended for use in medical clothing and masks. The creators promise that in terms of protection, such clothing and masks will be at the junction with semi-industrial respirators.

The product has other target niches, for example, filtration of petroleum products and cleaning of premises.

The startup's partner is KIT LLC (manufacturer of medical masks, condoms, shoe covers and caps). With his support, the team finalized the composition of the material and the shape of the mask, made the first trial batch of masks at its production facilities, which is now being tested.

"Parenghem"

Parengem is a medical device for stopping bleeding during operations on the internal organs of the abdominal cavity.

Today, the use of hemostatic sponges – local hemostatic agents – is the most promising way to stop bleeding during operations on parenchymal organs (liver, kidneys, spleen, lungs, etc.). The sponge dissolves in the human body over time, so there is no need for repeated surgical intervention.

The project partners are LLC "Napoli" (helps with distribution) and JSC "ZNTC" (Zelenograd Nanotechnology Center, provides the startup with production facilities).

"Music of the brain"

The team is developing a post-stroke rehabilitation system. A melody is developed for the patient based on the bioelectric activity of the brain (electroencephalogram, EEG) using a special algorithm. He listens to the melody according to pre-formed recommendations while at home or in the hospital.

The creators are confident that they have developed an affordable alternative to the "classic" methods of rehabilitation and prevention of strokes, which has no side effects. The team reports that the method normalizes the production of melatonin, has a positive effect on metabolism and the endocrine system, stabilizes blood pressure, normalizes the immune system and regulates the brain. Music can also be used to treat neurological and mental illnesses

The partner of the project is Clinic No. 1. The project has not yet received a medical license, the "Brain Music" solution is not used anywhere yet.

Test kit for the diagnosis of bladder cancer (RMP)

The test kit allows you to detect bladder cancer in the early stages due to the fact that it measures telomerase activity (an indicator of actively dividing cells). Telomerase activity is a universal marker for 85% of malignant tumors. This method of diagnosis helps to determine the patient's diagnosis and prescribe timely treatment already at the first symptoms of RMP.

The developed technology requires only a few patient cells, which significantly exceeds existing analogues in sensitivity, the creators say. In addition, the laboratory does not need to be retrofitted with expensive equipment to perform the analysis using the kit.

The partner of the project is the Biotechnological Business Incubator of Moscow State University.

Kick_life

Kick_life is a rehabilitation system that monitors the performance of therapeutic and preventive exercises.

The system allows the patient to recover independently after surgery or injury of the musculoskeletal system, without the constant supervision of a doctor. Kick_life monitors the process of performing exercises by the patient in real time, constantly comparing the current movements with the reference ones made under the supervision of a specialist doctor. In case of an erroneous exercise, the device will give recommendations for correction.

Today, the system is designed for the lower extremities and consists of a leg bracelet, software and a web service. The doctor can remotely monitor the recovery process and collect statistics.

The developers plan to expand the system to all human limbs in the near future. The project plans to expand the product to sports organizations and the mass market – for those who want to monitor their own health.

The industrial partner of the project is Darta Systems (developer of wearable gadgets), which carries out professional expertise of the project, provides assistance in conducting research.

"MEDO"

The MEDO online service helps you choose a voluntary medical insurance program (VMI) and a check-up (a form of diagnosis that allows you to quickly track the development of diseases in the early stages). The advantages of the service, according to the creators, are an independent comparison of conditions and prices, assistance in obtaining a tax deduction, as well as compensation for the client's expenses for medicines (the client, when paying for an order in MEDO, gets the opportunity to choose medicines in a pharmacy with payment through MEDO).

"Tilda"

Tilda is a rehabilitation system for athletes and others, developed by a team of students and graduates of the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering of Bauman Moscow State Technical University. The system helps to accelerate the recovery processes after increased loads for athletes, during the rehabilitation of injuries of the musculoskeletal system and ligament damage.

The device creates an electromagnetic field harmless to humans, which accelerates the recovery processes. The effect is achieved by synchronizing the pulses of the device with the pulse of blood filling of the patient's tissues, the creators say. The system monitors changes in the patient's blood flow parameters and adjusts to them.

The industrial partner of the project is the manufacturer of medical equipment "ELAMED".

Beauty

Painless gel hair removal

The team has developed a cosmetic gel based on natural compounds that destroys the bonds between the hair and its base. This allows you to "pull out" the loose hair, and not pull it out, as in traditional methods of bioepilation. The creators claim that the gel does not destroy the structure of the hair itself – it allows you to remove unwanted hair without the effect of "brittleness".

Now the composition is undergoing certification, and the team does not want to disclose details about the gel until it receives a license. The developed product will be distributed in beauty salons.

The industrial partner of the project is the manufacturer of dressings of Biotekfarm LLC. The company helps the startup with laboratory research. Thanks to the partner, the team found investors.

Multifactor cosmetics

The team is developing a line of professional cosmetics based on cellular growth factors. Growth factors are special proteins that stimulate cell growth and division, are responsible for signals for differentiation, and control cell balance. An increase in their concentration in the skin triggers the rejuvenation mechanism, simultaneously stimulating the production of collagen.

The team uses "cocktails" of growth factors that simultaneously contain more than 5-7 different proteins. It is reported that this allows you to influence all the necessary cells to achieve a particular effect (for example, recovery after peeling, lifting, anti-acne, fighting vascular asterisks, strengthening and growth of nails).

There are more than a hundred cytokines in the project database (cytokines are specific proteins with which cells exchange information with each other and coordinate actions). On their basis, special combinations are created for each cosmetic task.

According to the creators, the product will be used in beauty salons and aesthetic medicine clinics.

The project partner is Proteinsynthesis LLC (manufacturer of biomedical products), which provides the team with access to the largest database of cytokines and growth factors in the Russian Federation and laboratory equipment.

Anti-baldness Gel

The gel is based on growth factors. Due to their lack, the vessels that supply the hair with nutrients can "die", which leads to thinning and subsequent hair loss.

With the help of the gel, the normal concentration of factors is restored. A cocktail of growth factors helps mature new vessels, as well as "revive" dying hair follicles, according to the creators.

The startup's partner is the same as the previous project – LLC "Proteinsynthesis".

"Biocrem"

The team is developing a line of cosmetics, which include only natural substances, without synthetics.

It is reported that the structure and composition of such serums and creams allow "patching" the stratum corneum of the skin due to its close identity, and also exclude the aggressive effect of emulsifiers. The products combat aesthetic deficiencies (acne, wrinkles, flabbiness, pigmentation) or dermatological problems (xerosis, atopic dermatitis, neurodermatitis) of the skin.

The startup's partners are the cosmetic association "Svoboda" (cosmetics and household chemicals production) and the Cosmeceutical Incubator (established in 2013 as a joint project of the nanotechnology center "Dubna", JSC "Cosmetic Association "SVOBODA" and Lomonosov Moscow State University). Now the team is working on an agreement on the use of production facilities of partners.

Developments in the field of agriculture, agro and industry

[…]

AbMilk

AbMilk technology determines the amount of antibiotics in milk. This is a test strip that changes color when a certain concentration of antibiotics is exceeded. The strip needs 5-7 minutes to reach a verdict.

The creators believe that the product will be of interest to producers and processors of dairy products, quality control laboratories, farms and retail chains, or buyers who care about their health.

The partner of the project is Food Safety Systems LLC (develops technologies for hygienic and microbiological control in production, incoming control of raw materials, etc.). The partner provides expert support to the startup.

Phytovita

Phytovita is a feed additive for animals and birds based on cell cultures.

The additive is created by growing a population of cells in a test tube, which is why the extracts obtained are environmentally friendly and contain enough biologically active substances. According to the creators, the developed technology allows you to continuously obtain raw materials for additives with a predictable composition.

The team is confident that the development can be used not only in the livestock sector, but also in the food industry, in the production of cosmetics, biologically active additives, veterinary drugs.

The industrial partner of the project is Biofarmos LLC (manufacturer of biologically active food additives).

"Nucleovak"

"Nucleovak" is a solution for the diagnosis of viral diseases of animals.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is the most effective way to determine whether farm animals are infected with viruses. But for PCR, expensive devices are needed. In addition, after conducting interviews with several veterinary laboratories, the developers found out another problem: the use of PCR implies a lot of manual routine operations.

The team has developed a system consisting of a DNA isolation device and a tablet for preparing a sample for real-time PCR. The creators claim that their technology increases the productivity of laboratories by 2 times, while the cost of the system is 40% lower than analogues.

The industrial partner of the project is Innovative Diagnostic Systems LLC, a developer of diagnostic technologies in the field of veterinary medicine, agriculture and food safety, a manufacturer of PCR, ELISA test systems for veterinary medicine. IDC helps a startup search for potential customers and provides expert support.

[…]

Biostock

Biostock is a wastewater treatment system, or rather, a biological filter for cleaning industrial storm sewers.

The water is purified right at the time it flows down the duct. It is reported that the biofilter does not require replacement for several years.

How it works: the sorption material containing destructive bacteria is located along the entire flow, that is, it does not reduce the capacity of the sewer. Destructive bacteria destroy the toxicants in the water.

The team hopes that the development will be implemented at airports, chemical and oil refining enterprises, car washes and gas stations, Mostransavto, in urban storm sewers, etc. d.

The startup's industrial partners are CJSC Pi–Pro and the Russian Association of Water Supply and Sanitation "Rav".

"MiniLAB 3b1"

MiniLAB 3b1 is an automated biotesting laboratory for rapid assessment of the toxicity of soils, waste, surface, ground, drinking, sewage, as well as for the assessment of nanomaterials for changes in the mobility of flagellated microorganisms.

The technique is based on measuring the motor activity of flagellated microorganisms under the influence of chemical agents contained in the extract from the samples. The higher the toxicity, the less mobile the test cultures are.

The team wants to solve the problem of labor intensity, high cost and duration of biotesting in the flow analysis of water, soil, waste and animal feed. The product can replace a full-fledged biotesting laboratory, the creators are sure. "MiniLAB 3b1" consists of one device that can be installed, for example, in a minibus.

The industrial partner of the project is Food Safety Systems LLC (develops technologies for hygienic and microbiological control in production, incoming control of raw materials, etc.).

Healthy nutrition

Sun Protein

Sun Protein is a protein cocktail for sports nutrition with a high protein content (up to 83%), created on the basis of sunflower protein concentrate.

The creators have developed a technology for obtaining protein concentrate from sunflower. Given that Russia is the second country in the world for the production of sunflower seeds, there will be no shortage of raw materials for the project.

The team plans to expand the product line with protein bars and proteins in tablet form, as well as export goods abroad.

The industrial partner of the project is Biotechnologies LLC, a manufacturer of protein concentrate for adding to animal and bird feed. The company helps the startup in finding technological solutions, debugging equipment, participates in financing the project.

YoDa

YoDa – dietary products (tartlets and loaves) from algae. The team plans to develop chips as well. The creators call the product a substitute for flour products. The team is aimed at those customers who lead a healthy lifestyle, follow a diet, eat kosher, halal, lean or vegetarian food.

The partner of the project is the manufacturer of dressings of Biotekfarm LLC. The partner provides the startup with materials and equipment, helps to interact with investors.

Irondeer

Irondeer is a dietary supplement to make up for iron deficiency. The basis of the development is the technology of processing donated blood of red deer (not a single animal was injured and, moreover, did not die, the creators assure). Maral blood increases the level of hemoglobin in the blood and contributes to its oxygen saturation.

Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru 06.09.2016