nanoTherics

nanoTherics Ltd, established in August 2007, operates at the intersection of nanotechnology and life sciences, providing specialized equipment for research applications. The company originated as a spin-out from Keele University, leveraging research conducted there and at the University of Florida. This foundational research, spanning over 30 years in magnetic nanoparticle applications, forms the basis of the company's core technology. One of the founders, Professor Jon Dobson, holds a PhD from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and has an extensive background in biomaterials and biomedical engineering, contributing significantly to the field of magnetic nanoparticles.

The company's primary business involves the design, manufacture, and sale of scientific instruments to research laboratories in academic institutions and the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Its business model centers on the direct sale of its flagship product, the magneTherm™, and a suite of related accessories and consumables. nanoTherics also provides laboratory services. The company has secured funding to support its growth, including a notable Series A round of £1.1 million in 2010, with key investors such as Catapult Venture Managers and Mercia.

The core product, magneTherm™, is a system designed for studying the effects of heating magnetic nanoparticles, a critical process in applications like magnetic hyperthermia for cancer therapy research and controlled drug delivery. The system's key feature is its operational flexibility, allowing researchers to use a wide range of frequencies (from 100 kHz to 1MHz) and field strengths within a single device. This capability is crucial because the heating efficiency of nanoparticles varies with their physical properties and the applied magnetic field parameters. The magneTherm™ is a bench-top unit designed for versatility, enabling calorimetric, in-vitro, and in-vivo studies with a single core system, to which various optional accessories can be added. This modularity addresses a gap in the market for affordable and adaptable research tools. Initially, the company also launched products like the magneFect-nano for gene transfection, using magnetic arrays to improve the uptake of materials like DNA into cells.

Keywords: magnetic nanoparticle heating, magneTherm, hyperthermia research, drug delivery systems, transfection technology, biomedical engineering, life science research tools, calorimetry, in-vitro studies, in-vivo research, gene therapy research, nanomedicine, AC field applications, solenoid coil, biomaterials, scientific instruments, Keele University spin-out, cancer therapy research