Cellix has been announced as a finalist in the R&D category of the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards 2012.  The winners will be announced at a ceremony in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin on 28th February.

Click here for the announcement in the Irish Times.

Cellix has been nominated for the development of a novel cell-based tool (Vena8 Fluoro+ biochip) for life science laboratories enabling researchers to quantify the effectiveness of anti-platelet and anti-coagulant drugs for thrombosis.  The novelty of this biochip is that it enables enhanced microscopy (including confocal) which facilitates researchers in creating 3D images of blood clots from a donor’s sample.  This results in more accurate information regarding a donor’s platelet function and reaction to a particular anticoagulant/antiplatelet therapy. 

This product is currently being marketed and sold to biologists studying thrombosis, including those developing new drugs to treat thrombosis, where tools in this space have an estimated market size of ~€50-60million annually.  Customers cite the “physiological relevance; reduction in blood sample required and ease of use” of Cellix’s products as being of key importance.  While the biochip is already selling well to customers in this market; the applications for this biochip are expanding and it is now being used by customers investigating malaria; sickle cell disease and stem cell research.

Now in its third year, the Irish Times InterTradeIreland Innovation Awards aim to recognise and promote the best service, product or operational innovations throughout the island.  The finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges to secure a place at the final and a chance to win the overall ‘Innovation of the Year’ award as well as a unique and high profile communications and advertising package worth €150,000.  All shortlisted finalists will receive a €10,000 communications package in Innovation Magazine , an iPad with a one year subscription to The Irish Times ePaper.

InterTradeIreland Strategy and Policy Director, Aidan Gough said:  "Companies that embrace an ongoing culture of innovation are more likely to grown and to sustain growth.  The high standard and diverse range of entries to this year's awards from public and private sectors and from businesses of all sizes is extremely encouraging and evidence that innovation as a growth process is being embraced by more and more businesses across the island."

"A key objective of InterTradeIreland is to support the development of a well connected innovation ecosystem across the island that puts enterprise at its core.  Our support programmes are designed to ensure that firms, in particular SMEs, have access to the resources they need to bring an idea more quickly and more efficiently to market no matter where the resources are located on the island."

"These awards honour those who are leading the way with their pioneering work.  Congratulations to all those companies who have made it to the finals, which is an achievement in its own right."

Innovation Magazine Editor, Michael McAleer said: “Both the quantity and quality of the entries this year underlines the level of innovative activity that’s taking place on the island. What we are tasked with is recognising and awarding that talent. Having gone through this year’s entries I think we could have justifiably chosen another 50 companies for the next phase. I don’t envy the final judging panel in choosing the winners. The quality of the innovation in action here is exemplary and we are confident the awards recognise the efforts involved.”