BIOPIX-T: The Greek Startup that revolutionized molecular diagnosis is ready for Scale-up

The advent of BIOPIX-T in 2019 caused a real disruption to the domestic – and not only – healthtech market. The Greek Spin-off of FORTH in Heraklion, Crete, stood out, in the midst of the pandemic, for PEBBLE, the innovative device that is already changing the game in the field of molecular diagnostics for both doctors and patients. With PEBBLE, diagnostic tests can finally be performed not only outside the traditional microbiological laboratory, but also in any place and under any circumstances, such as mobile health units, training structures, entrance gates or even at home.

As the COVID-19 pandemic brought to the forefront the need for immediate diagnosis of communicable diseases, the BIOPIX-T platform was ideal to enter the battle against the coronavirus and contribute significantly to the work of the health authorities to address the disease.In August 2021, the Startup got a producer’s license from the National Organization for Medicines and at the end of last October the device “PEBBLE qcLAMP Platform” and the diagnostic set “COV19 qcLAMP Test kit” became available in the Greek market. BIOPIX-T has already signed a contract for the distribution of its products in Greece and Cyprus and has already commissioned a representative in Switzerland to register them.

At a time when humanity is facing one wave of the pandemic after another, the innovative technology of the Greek Startup has “caught” the eye on the global healthtech stage, as governments and organizations are looking for new “weapons” to contain COVID-19. BIOPIX-T is in open discussions with various countries in Europe, the USA and neighboring Turkey, which have expressed a strong interest in the PEBBLE diagnostic platform. Moreover, the project of the Spin-off from Heraklion has not gone unnoticed among investors.

For its diagnostic projects, BIOPIX-T has received funding from the Greek VC Metavallon as well as foreign VCs, angel investors from the European Union.

Looking to the future

Although as mentioned above, the innovative molecular diagnostic technology developed by the BIOPIX-T team was warmly welcomed, already finding applications in the healthcare industry, and is already carefully planning its next steps. BIOPIX-T is going to hold a Series A funding round, whose raised funds, in addition to the coveted Scale-up, will also be used to develop new products.In particular, three new compatible tests with the PEBBLE platform, which are associated with infectious diseases, as well as a special pharmacogenomics test for the metabolism and effectiveness of many prescription drugs, are on the way. Of course, the development of molecular diagnostic technology remains in a dominant position.

BIOPIX-T wants to create new diagnostic devices for use in points of care and for use from home, offering patients and doctors new particularly important possibilities, at a time when alternatives are being sought for face-to-face interactions related to health issues. Regarding its platform, PEBBLE, the flagship of BIOPIX-T with which it “revolutionized” its industry, the company also commercially sells the PEBBLE-R qcLAMP Platform, which has a research purpose. The research publication of PEBBLE platform is addressed to researchers in Greece and abroad, while BIOPIX-T’s goal is to accelerate the development of new diagnostic sets through collaborations.

Since the first two years were a complete success for the BIOPIX-T project, the company is feverishly preparing for its geographical expansion.BIOPIX-T aims this year to expand its operations in sub-Saharan Africa, a region with huge needs in sanitary material and technology, especially after the outbreak of the pandemic. The first moves in this direction have already been completed, while BIOPIX-T is optimistic that the distribution of its products there will have begun by spring. In this context, the Greek Startup hopes to expand its human resources to respond more easily to growing demand and new goals. BIOPIX-T is expected in 2022 to more than double its workforce, which currently consists of 17 highly qualified individuals (3 PhDs, 13 master degree holders, 1 bachelor degree holder).

BIOPIX-T in just 2 years since its official inception, not only managed to grow in the midst of a highly competitive industry, not only overcame the challenges of the pandemic for every new business, but has already founded its brand with products that help humanity in the biggest post-war crisis, giving molecular diagnosis a Greek color.