A new biotechnology venture supported by UKTI has seen a British and a Japanese company working together to develop handheld devices for point of care diagnosis of infectious diseases.

New company OJ-Bio is a joint venture between Orla Protein Technologies and Japan Radio Company (JRC) to develop and commercialise next-generation sensor technology in Newcastle.

The two companies have been supported by UKTI's R&D Globalisation Programme, which is designed to help R&D-based businesses protect and commercialise their IP and develop new products for international markets.

Delivered by innovation agency RTC North, the Programme initially helped both companies to structure a joint R&D programme to establish whether their combined technology could create a platform for fast and accurate detection of diseases.

The new technology, which combines JRC's mobile telecommunication devices and Orla's biological surfaces, has proven to be suitable for a range of portable handheld devices that can rapidly detect various infectious diseases. The devices can transmit test results through wireless networks, and so can be used anywhere - even in remote parts of the world.

Following the R&D collaboration, RTC North helped JRC and Orla to form a joint venture, OJ-Bio, which will be based at the Centre for Life in Newcastle.

Dale Athey, CEO of Orla, said: "The assistance provided by RTC North through UKTI's R&D Globalisation Programme has been invaluable to us, and will likely benefit many more SMEs like us in the region."

Ray Jones of RTC North said: "It's been a long process to get the technology to where it is today, but it represents a major step forward in the long-term fight in the detection of diseases."

OJ-Bio launch