Decentralized diagnostics

At Ubique Bio, we are dedicated to revolutionizing the rare disease healthcare space by developing innovative and sustainable technologies that prioritize patient needs and decrease carbon footprints. By leveraging our expertise in AI, machine learning, bioinformatics, and peptide synthesis, we are actively addressing the diagnostic journey of rare disease patients, significantly reducing time, cost, resources, and unnecessary travel and testing for both patients and caregivers.

Our approach combines cutting-edge advancements in synthetic peptide design, multiplexed diagnostics, and paper array devices to enable point-of-care testing. We are focused on creating an affordable platform that empowers patients and healthcare providers with rapid and accurate diagnostic tools, leading to early intervention and improved treatment outcomes.

One of our key breakthroughs is the development of a decentralized peptide printer. This printer can synthesize peptides on-site, eliminating the need for centralized laboratories and reducing transportation costs. By bringing the synthesis process closer to patients, we not only enhance accessibility but also minimize the carbon footprint associated with sample transportation and laboratory operations.

Our technology has a profound impact on the rare disease patient community, particularly in resource-limited settings. By streamlining the diagnostic journey, we empower patients with timely and accurate diagnoses while alleviating financial burdens. Additionally, our scalable solutions facilitate efficient resource allocation, ensuring that limited healthcare resources are optimally utilized.

We aim to provide medical personnel and patients with a laboratory test that can be easily executed by themselves in their work environment. This test will be rapid, simple, safe, highly sensitive and specific, and cost-effective. It will enable them to determine the presence of autoantibodies associated with autoimmune diseases in a patient, even before the onset of clinical manifestations. Our test will be based on a multiplex chromatographic format that generates fewer environmental pollutants compared to traditional tests, including the rapid models currently available in the market.

Our solution is aimed at serving both general medical professionals, specialists, and patients who are at risk or suspected of having autoimmune diseases. Our goal is to enable early diagnosis, immediate management, and even prevention of these diseases. We prioritize easy accessibility and the ability to diagnose autoimmune diseases, including before the appearance of clinical manifestations.

The target population we are working to improve consists of individuals who may be experiencing symptoms or have a higher risk of developing autoimmune diseases. These individuals may include patients with a family history of autoimmune disorders, those exhibiting early signs or non-specific symptoms, or those seeking proactive healthcare.

To understand the needs of our target population, we have conducted extensive research, including engaging with medical professionals, specialists, and patient advocacy groups. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, we have gathered insights into their challenges, concerns, and aspirations regarding the diagnosis and management of autoimmune diseases. This engagement has allowed us to develop a comprehensive understanding of their experiences and perspectives, ensuring that our solution aligns with their specific needs.

Our solution addresses their needs by providing a laboratory test that can be easily performed by medical professionals or patients themselves in their own work environment. This test is designed to be rapid, user-friendly, and cost-effective. By enabling early diagnosis, our solution empowers medical professionals to initiate timely treatment plans and interventions, leading to better disease management outcomes. Additionally, for individuals at risk of developing autoimmune diseases, our solution offers the possibility of proactive screening, allowing for early detection and preventive measures to be implemented.

By offering an accessible and efficient diagnostic tool, we strive to alleviate the challenges faced by medical professionals and patients in identifying and managing autoimmune diseases. Our solution not only improves the lives of individuals by enabling early diagnosis and intervention but also empowers them with knowledge and control over their health. Through our ongoing engagement with the target population, we continue to refine and enhance our solution, ensuring that it remains patient-centered and aligned with their evolving needs.

In summary, our solution aims to directly and meaningfully improve the lives of general medical professionals, specialists, and patients at risk or suspected of having autoimmune diseases. By providing an accessible and efficient diagnostic test, we enable early diagnosis, immediate management, and even prevention of these conditions. Through continuous engagement and collaboration with the target population, we ensure that our solution addresses their specific needs, ultimately empowering them with better healthcare outcomes and a higher quality of life.

As a team of experienced scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs dedicated to making a positive impact on global health, we are well-positioned to deliver our solution to the target population. Our team comprises individuals with diverse backgrounds in synthetic biology, machine learning, biochemistry, and business development, allowing us to approach challenges from multiple perspectives.

One of our core strengths lies in our proximity to the communities we serve. We have established strong relationships with local health organizations and stakeholders in several countries, ensuring that our solution is designed with a deep understanding of their specific needs and challenges. This close engagement enables us to have direct insights into the communities' healthcare systems, cultural contexts, and resource limitations.

To ensure that our solution is meaningfully guided by the communities' input, ideas, and agendas, we have adopted a community-driven approach. We actively seek feedback and insights from key stakeholders, including healthcare professionals, patients, and advocacy groups. Through surveys, interviews, and focus groups, we involve the target population in our product roadmap and design process.

Our Team Lead, as well as other team members, have direct personal and professional connections within the communities we serve. They have spent significant time immersed in these communities, understanding their unique challenges and collaborating with local experts. This firsthand experience allows us to approach the design and implementation of our solution with cultural sensitivity and relevance.

In addition to our community engagement efforts, we have established a global network of advisors with expertise in global health, diagnostics, and entrepreneurship. These advisors provide valuable guidance and support, ensuring that our solution aligns with best practices, regulatory requirements, and the specific needs of the target population.

Furthermore, our track record of previous successes demonstrates our ability to innovate and deliver high-quality solutions. Through winning the GridX incubation challenge and the UCR Riverside EPIC Challenge, we gained access to customer discovery opportunities in the US market. Additionally, our collaboration with Cytiva, as winners of the DX challenge, showcases our capacity to form strategic partnerships and develop cutting-edge technologies.

In summary, our team's diverse expertise, strong community engagement, and track record of success position us as the right people to design and deliver this solution to the target population. We are intimately familiar with the communities we serve, incorporating their input, ideas, and agendas into our solution's design and implementation. Our commitment to close collaboration and our ability to leverage a global network of advisors ensure that our solution is both relevant and effective in addressing the unique healthcare challenges faced by the target population.

Our solution has advanced beyond the concept stage and is now a working prototype. We have achieved significant milestones in developing synthetic peptides for multiple diseases, including toxoplasmosis, hepatitis C, herpes, and rubella. These peptides have undergone successful testing in immunoassays using patient sera, demonstrating their specificity and sensitivity. This tangible progress showcases that our solution is more than just an idea; it is a functional prototype that has been validated in laboratory settings.

In addition to peptide development and testing, we have established partnerships with esteemed institutions such as the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). These collaborations allow us to conduct further immunoassay testing, validating the efficacy of our peptides and expanding their applications.

We are applying to the Prize because it aligns perfectly with our mission and vision of addressing global health challenges, specifically in the rare disease healthcare space. As a team driven by the passion to make a positive impact on global health, we recognize that rare diseases often present unique barriers that hinder timely diagnosis, treatment, and patient-centered care.

The specific barriers we face include financial constraints, technical complexities, and market challenges. Developing innovative diagnostic solutions requires significant financial resources for research, development, and manufacturing. The Prize would provide us with crucial financial support, enabling us to overcome these barriers and advance our solution from prototype to a scalable and accessible product.

In terms of technical barriers, the complex nature of rare diseases requires specialized expertise and technologies. The Prize can provide us with technical support, mentorship, and access to a network of experts who can help us navigate these challenges, refine our solution, and ensure its effectiveness in the field.

Cultural and market barriers are also significant factors in the adoption and implementation of healthcare innovations. MIT Solve's marketplace for social impact innovation provides us with an invaluable platform to connect with key stakeholders, investors, and potential partners. This exposure will help us build relationships, gain market insights, and access resources and expertise to overcome cultural and market barriers.

In summary, by applying to the Prize, we seek financial support, technical guidance, legal assistance, and access to market opportunities. MIT Solve's mission to drive innovation to solve world challenges aligns with our aspirations, making it an ideal platform to help us overcome the financial, technical, legal, cultural, and market barriers we face. Winning the Prize would provide us with the resources and support needed to accelerate the development and implementation of our solution, ultimately benefiting the rare disease healthcare space and improving the lives of those affected by these conditions.

In addition to our collaboration with the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico, we are actively partnering with relevant organizations across Latin America, including those in Argentina. These partnerships allow us to tap into their expertise and resources to implement our solutions effectively within the community.

By engaging with local organizations in Argentina and throughout the region, we gain valuable insights into the specific challenges, healthcare systems, and cultural nuances of the target population. These organizations serve as crucial allies, providing us with access to their networks, patient communities, and on-the-ground knowledge.

Through these collaborative efforts, we can ensure that our solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve in Argentina and other Latin American countries. By working closely with these organizations, we can navigate regulatory frameworks, overcome cultural barriers, and gain the trust and acceptance of the local population.

These partnerships foster knowledge exchange, capacity-building, and joint problem-solving, enabling us to implement our solutions more effectively and sustainably. By leveraging the expertise and support of these organizations, we are confident in our ability to make a meaningful impact on the lives of individuals affected by rare diseases in Argentina and throughout Latin America.

Our solution is innovative and sustainable because it addresses the problem of diagnosing autoimmune diseases in a new and significantly improved way. Currently, there is a lack of a low-cost, multiplexed rapid test for autoantibodies, and traditional diagnostic approaches involve expensive and time-consuming laboratory panels. This presents challenges, particularly in resource-limited populations where access to infrastructure, equipment, and specialized personnel is limited.

Our approach introduces synthetic peptides as antigens in immunoassays, replacing recombinant proteins. This advancement in the field of diagnostics has gained traction in recent years, offering reliable and rapid diagnosis for infectious and non-infectious diseases. Synthetic peptides demonstrate high sensitivity, ease of production, low cost, rapid response time, improved specificity, reproducibility across batches, scalability, and reduced environmental impact.

By leveraging the benefits of synthetic peptides, our solution provides a breakthrough in autoimmune disease diagnostics. It enables the development of a multiplexed rapid test that is cost-effective, accessible, and can be performed on-site, empowering medical professionals and patients to obtain timely and accurate diagnoses. This approach has the potential to catalyze positive impacts by revolutionizing the way autoimmune diseases are diagnosed, reducing healthcare costs, and improving patient outcomes.

Moreover, our solution is sustainable due to its cost-effectiveness, scalability, and reduced environmental footprint. By utilizing synthetic peptides and incorporating them into a decentralized diagnostic platform, we promote affordability and accessibility. This sustainability aspect ensures the long-term viability and adoption of our solution, making it a transformative force in the diagnostics market and paving the way for similar innovations by others in the healthcare industry.

Our impact goals for the next year and the next five years are focused on creating a transformative impact on people's lives through our solution.

In the next year, our goal is to achieve widespread adoption and implementation of our decentralized diagnostic platform for autoimmune diseases. We aim to establish partnerships with healthcare organizations, clinics, and institutions in both developed and resource-limited settings to ensure broad accessibility. By the end of the year, we aim to have our solution deployed in multiple healthcare facilities, enabling healthcare providers to conduct rapid and accurate diagnostic tests for autoimmune diseases.

Over the next five years, our impact goals extend beyond diagnostics. We envision expanding our platform to encompass a broader range of diseases and health conditions. By leveraging our expertise in synthetic peptides and AI-driven design, we aim to develop diagnostic solutions for various infectious, genetic, and chronic diseases. Our goal is to make significant strides in reducing diagnostic gaps globally, particularly in underserved communities where access to healthcare resources is limited.

To achieve these impact goals, we will continue to collaborate with healthcare organizations, research institutions, and industry partners. We will actively seek feedback and insights from the communities we serve to guide the further development and refinement of our solution. Additionally, we will invest in research and development efforts to enhance the sensitivity, specificity, and scalability of our diagnostic platform. Through strategic partnerships, rigorous validation studies, and regulatory compliance, we will ensure the adoption and acceptance of our solution in the healthcare ecosystem.

By pursuing these impact goals, we aim to empower healthcare providers, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to the global efforts in bridging the diagnostic gap. Our solution has the potential to revolutionize the way diseases are diagnosed, leading to earlier interventions, better treatment outcomes, and ultimately, a positive transformation in the lives of individuals affected by various health conditions.

To measure our progress toward our impact goals, we have identified key indicators, including adoption rate, accessibility, diagnostic accuracy, patient outcomes, and partnerships. These indicators help us assess the effectiveness and reach of our solution. While being a prototype limits our statistical data availability, we are actively collecting and analyzing data from the implementation and utilization of our solution. We are also exploring partnerships with research institutions to conduct rigorous clinical studies for more robust statistical evidence. Our commitment to continuous monitoring and evaluation, iteration based on stakeholder feedback, and expanding data collection efforts will strengthen our measurements as we progress. These efforts align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), reflecting our dedication to addressing healthcare challenges sustainably.

We expect our solution to have a significant impact on the problem of diagnosing autoimmune diseases by providing a rapid, cost-effective, and accessible testing method for healthcare providers and patients. Our theory of change is based on the following logical framework:

1. Activities: We are developing a prototype of a multiplexed diagnostic test using synthetic peptides as antigens, which can detect autoimmune antibodies associated with various diseases. We are also engaging with key stakeholders, conducting research, and refining our solution based on their feedback.

2. Outputs: Our outputs include the successful development and validation of the diagnostic test, partnerships with healthcare organizations, and the establishment of a reliable supply chain for the production and distribution of test kits.

3. Short-term outcomes: By enabling healthcare providers to perform on-site testing, our solution will lead to early detection and prompt management of autoimmune diseases. This will reduce the time, cost, and resources required for diagnosis, improving the overall patient experience and healthcare efficiency.

4. Long-term outcomes: With early diagnosis, patients can receive timely treatment, leading to better health outcomes, improved quality of life, and potentially the prevention of severe complications. The decentralized and cost-effective nature of our solution will increase access to diagnostic testing, particularly in resource-limited settings, addressing the diagnostic gap for autoimmune diseases globally.

To support the logical links in our theory of change, we have conducted extensive research on the efficacy of synthetic peptides in diagnostic testing and engaged with healthcare providers and patients to understand their needs and challenges. We are also leveraging insights from existing research on autoimmune diseases and diagnostic technologies.

Through our solution, we aim to transform the way autoimmune diseases are diagnosed, empowering healthcare providers and improving the lives of individuals affected by these conditions.

The core technology that powers our solution is the integration of synthetic peptides, bioinformatics, and multiplexed diagnostics. Synthetic peptides are designed using AI and machine learning algorithms, allowing us to create highly specific and sensitive antigens for the detection of autoimmune antibodies. These peptides serve as the key components of our diagnostic test.

Bioinformatics plays a crucial role in our technology by facilitating the design and analysis of the synthetic peptides. It involves the computational analysis of genetic and proteomic data to identify specific epitopes associated with autoimmune diseases. This information guides the selection and synthesis of the most relevant peptides for diagnostic purposes.

Multiplexed diagnostics enable simultaneous detection of multiple autoimmune antibodies in a single test, providing comprehensive information about the patient's immune response. This approach allows for efficient and cost-effective testing, reducing the need for multiple individual tests and minimizing resource requirements.

Furthermore, our solution incorporates advancements in paper array devices, which provide a simple and accessible format for point-of-care testing. These devices use colorimetric or fluorescent signals to indicate the presence of autoimmune antibodies, eliminating the need for complex laboratory equipment.

By harnessing these core technologies, our solution offers a powerful tool for accurate, decentralized, and affordable diagnosis of autoimmune diseases. It combines the power of synthetic peptides, bioinformatics, and multiplexed diagnostics to improve healthcare outcomes and address the diagnostic challenges faced by patients and healthcare providers.

Total: 9. full-time staff: 4 and part-time staff: 5

Our C-Level managers:

Sebastian Nojek, CEO and co-founder

Angelita Lorenzo, CSO and co-founder

UbiqueBio is a relatively new company, having been incorporated just over a year ago. However, our team members bring decades of experience in chemistry analysis, bioinformatics, and molecular diagnostics to the development of our innovative technologies.

We deeply value diversity, equity, and inclusivity and are dedicated to integrating these principles into our work. Our leadership team comprises a majority of women and individuals from diverse backgrounds, including ethnic minorities from Latin America. This composition brings a richness of perspectives, experiences, and cultural insights that enhance our decision-making and problem-solving processes.

To further promote diversity, equity, and inclusivity, we actively seek talent from underrepresented groups, particularly focusing on empowering women and minorities in Latin America. We strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment where all team members feel valued, respected, and supported.

Collaboration with diverse communities and organizations is at the heart of our approach. We actively engage with local communities, seeking their input and involving them in the co-creation of our solutions. By working closely with these communities, we ensure that our solutions are tailored to their specific needs and cultural contexts, fostering a sense of ownership and relevance.

As part of our commitment, we regularly review and assess our practices to identify and address any barriers or biases that may hinder diversity and inclusivity. We provide professional development opportunities and resources to support the growth and advancement of individuals from marginalized communities, empowering them to take leadership roles within our organization and the broader industry.

By embracing diversity, equity, and inclusivity, we aim to lead by example and inspire others in the tech and social impact space to prioritize these values. We believe that by creating a more diverse and inclusive industry, we can unlock innovation, foster social change, and create lasting impact on a global scale.

At UbiqueBio, our business model is a B2B approach, targeting diagnostic companies, hospitals and clinics, NGOs, and other private companies in the health industry. We provide high-quality peptides for diagnostic purposes, specifically for early detection of cancer and infectious diseases. Our peptides can be used in a variety of diagnostic devices and tests, and we plan to offer licensing deals for the use of our devices.

Our key customers and beneficiaries are those who seek accurate and affordable diagnostic tests. We aim to provide value to these populations by offering high-quality peptides at a competitive price point, enabling diagnostic companies and hospitals to expand their services and reach more patients in need. Our peptides are designed to be highly sensitive and specific, making them ideal for early detection of diseases when treatment is most effective.

To provide our products and services, we plan to sell the peptides as reagents for laboratory and R&D use in the short term, with licensing deals for diagnostic devices and tests in the long term. We aim to bootstrap our operations initially, and we will also search for grants and investment opportunities to help fund our growth.

Ultimately, our goal is to become financially sustainable by providing a valuable service to our customers and beneficiaries at an affordable price point, while also expanding our reach to more communities in need of accurate and affordable diagnostic tests.

Our plan for becoming financially sustainable includes multiple revenue streams. In the short term, we plan to sell the peptides we develop as reagents for laboratory and R&D use, generating revenue from our target market of scientists and researchers. Additionally, we are actively seeking grant opportunities to support our research and development efforts.

In the mid-term, we plan to establish licensing agreements with larger companies in the diagnostic and healthcare industries to commercialize our technology and generate additional revenue. We are already in talks with several potential partners, and we anticipate closing our first licensing deals before the end of the year.

As we continue to grow and expand, we may also explore other revenue streams such as selling our own diagnostic tests or providing services to governments and healthcare organizations. Our ultimate goal is to become financially sustainable by generating enough revenue to cover our expected expenses and invest in further research and development to continue making an impact in the field of diagnostics.

Currently, we are actively pursuing additional grant funding to support our solution. While we have not yet been awarded these grants, we are committed to exploring all available opportunities and submitting compelling proposals to secure the necessary financial support.

In terms of revenue generation, we have developed a strategic plan to achieve financial sustainability. By Q4 2023, we aim to bootstrap and generate revenue through the sale of our products (reagents for IVD R&D). This revenue generation strategy will enable us to cover our operational expenses and drive the growth of our solution.

Furthermore, we have successfully secured pre-seed funding from GridX incubator, a renowned biotech incubator that supports innovative companies in Latin America. This investment has provided us with the initial capital needed to kickstart our activities, develop prototypes, and establish key partnerships.

While we are unable to disclose specific monetary amounts or funder names due to confidentiality agreements, these examples demonstrate our commitment to financial sustainability and the progress we have made in securing funding to support the implementation of our solution.