Company Profile

Lenima Field Diagnostics (LFD), LLC, was formed to develop molecular diagnostic tests for a wide range of applications. The firm has an option agreement to license the piezoelectric plate sensor (PEPS) technology invented by the Shihs at Drexel University. The PEPS technology is capable of self-amplification of its detection signal, affording unprecedented sensitivity, greatly simplifying its genetic testing process, permitting low-cost, rapid, and simultaneous testing of multiple nucleic acids including both DNAs and RNAs in a single step, label-free, and in less than 30 minutes without the need of DNA/RNA isolation, RNA reverse transcription, nucleic acid amplification (NAAT), or expensive fluorescent labels used in current genetic testing. LFD’s first application is a rapid, low-cost, accurate and point-of-care Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) test. CDI is a major healthcare associated infection (HAI) with 75% of CDI first occuring primarily in nursing homes where there is no CDI genetic testing capability. Due to the cost, even small and medium-size hospitals -- 80% of the hospital market -- also lack rapid CDI genetic testing capability. The inexpensive and yet accurate PEPS CDI test being addressed by Lanima would allow multiplex, point-of-care CDI genetic testing with PCR-like sensitivity and specificity for small, medium hospitals and nursing home