The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has granted $3m to Akonni Biosystems to develop RT-PCR microarray.

The award aids Akonni to accelerate the research and development of a closed amplicon RT-PCR microarray to detect enterovirus, herpes viruses (HSV-1, HSV-2, VZV, CMV, HHV-6) and West Nile virus in cerebral spinal fluid (CSF).

Akonni Biosystems Sales and Marketing vice president Kevin Banks said combining RT-PCR with their proprietary gel-drop microarray platform in a self-contained micro-fluidic chamber will further enhance their ability to develop and deploy multi-test panels to detect viruses, bacteria, fungi and parasites in a single patient sample.