42Bio awarded NSF SBIR Phase I for COVID related Magnetic Separations

Body: With the devastating effects of the COVID pandemic becoming fully apparent, 42Bio inc. responded to the NSF’s “Dear Colleagues” letter requesting submission of SBIR Phase I applications funding the development of technologies that can support the fight against COVID. An adaptation of 42Bio’s proprietary magnetic separation technology was proposed for the harvest and transfer of COVID specific antibodies from a convalescent donor  to an at risk patient. After review by the NSF SBIR awarding committee the grant was awarded to 42Bio inc. Under this project, 42Bio will work to develop bot the magnetic separation device as well as the functionalized particles used to capture COVID specific antibodies. The end goal is to produce a device that can process a donor’s plasma by capturing COVID antibodies and collecting them with a magnetic field and return the depleted plasma to the patient. The collected COVID antibodies are then used to administer to a patient that is having trouble fighting the disease. Within the struggling patient, the donated antibodies will help boost the immune response and neutralize the viral infection. The 42Bio team hopes to quickly develop the technology and apply for a Phase II SBIR in the first part of 2021.