Zeptosens

About Zeptosens

Zeptosens originated in 1998 as a spin-off from the pharmaceutical company Novartis. The founding team, composed of life science analysts from Novartis Pharma AG, included Dr. Markus Ehrat and Dr. Gerhard M. Kresbach. Dr. Ehrat, who served as CEO, brought experience from heading a bioanalytical research department, while Dr. Kresbach specialized in bioanalytical approaches using mass spectrometry and microarrays. Their work at Novartis and its predecessor, Ciba-Geigy AG, led to the invention of the planar waveguide (PWG) detection technology, which formed the core of Zeptosens' intellectual property.

The company focused on developing and commercializing bioanalytical technologies for life sciences, food, and environmental analysis. Its business revolved around the production and sale of a highly sensitive chip system that utilizes fluorescence detection on the surface of a planar optical waveguide. This technology was applied to protein and nucleic acid microarrays for use in genome and proteome research by the pharmaceutical industry and universities. The company's product line included the ZeptoREADER, a microarray reader; ZeptoMARK protein microarray chips; and associated reagents and software. Additionally, Zeptosens offered protein profiling and assay development services. Its client base consisted of pharmaceutical R&D firms, biotech companies, academic institutions, and contract research organizations.

Zeptosens' journey included several key milestones. In March 1999, the company commenced operations after securing exclusive worldwide rights from Novartis for the proprietary planar waveguide technology. It raised a total of $8.3 million over two funding rounds, including a Series B round in 2001 and a Series C round in 2003, with investors like TVM Capital, QIAGEN, and Novartis. A strategic alliance with QIAGEN was formed in 2000 to develop integrated detection systems. In December 2003, a collaboration with ViaLogy Corp resulted in a significant improvement in their SensiChip system for gene analysis. The company's trajectory culminated in March 2005, when it was acquired by Bayer Technology Services, which sought to enhance its expertise in highly sensitive detection processes.