Grant will facilitate HPTLS platform development for additional biomanufacturing areas that face critical challenges, including upstream bioprocessing and in-line/in-situ applications

Nirrin Technologies, a developer of analytical tools poised to transform bioprocess analysis, has been awarded a $2 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Direct Phase II Grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This grant will fund further development of Nirrin’s proprietary high-precision tunable laser spectroscopy™ (HPTLS) platform for biomanufacturing applications.

Analytical workflows in biomanufacturing require precise monitoring of product components at each step of the process, yet they suffer from a lack of data or slow data collection. Technologies on the market today aren’t compatible with the rapid, real-time analysis that would immediately reveal any blind spots or potential issues that can lead to significant development delays later in the bioprocess.

Nirrin’s novel HPTLS technology harnesses the power of near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy with the cutting-edge advancements of a tunable laser source to provide an elegant, quantitative method for the analysis of bioprocess components with wide dynamic range, accuracy, and precision. Atlas™, the company’s flagship product launched in July, addresses data collection challenges for downstream processing in the biopharmaceutical industry. Atlas enables the simultaneous analysis of excipients, proteins, surfactants and more to deliver data at the point of sampling in just one minute. It empowers bioprocess groups with the critical insights needed to make quick, effective decisions.

Through its Small Business Programs, the NIH provides research and development funding to support   technological innovation in early-stage small businesses throughout the nation. Nirrin will apply SBIR funds to ramp up development on upstream bioprocessing applications for bioreactor automation and control (CPP) on Atlas™. Nirrin will also expand its HPTLS-based product line to include real-time monitoring and control in-line/in-situ for cell and gene therapy and other key application areas.

“The SBIR Direct Phase II Grant is a competitive award, and we’re honored the NIH committee recognizes the importance of our HPTLS technology platform to help eliminate critical data gaps throughout the bioprocess,” said Greg Crescenzi, CEO of Nirrin. “Our ultimate goal is to equip biomanufacturing teams with tools that enable them to both identify and immediately intervene on potential issues in advance, ensuring biopharmaceutical product consistency, safety, and compliance with regulatory standards.”