Lumiphore is an early stage research company developing proprietary lanthanide technology for use in high-value applications and commercializing the technology by entering into market-specific alliances with corporate partners. The market for fluorescent reagents in biology is more than $1.0 billion and is growing 25% annually. Demand is greatest for reagents with sensitivity better than can be achieved with organic fluorescent molecules. It is generally recognized that lanthanide reporters show great promise for increased sensitivity but development of good lanthanides has lagged. Lumiphore’s proprietary, highly fluorescent and flexible lanthanide compounds are a new kind of ultrasensitive fluorophore that overcome the sensitivity limitation.

Lumiphore develops and markets biological detection reagents and kits based on proprietary fluorescent lanthanide complexes, which provide an unparalleled combination of sensitivity, reliability, flexibility and high throughput. Uniquely among fluorescent reagents, lanthanides make possible time-resolved detection: fluorescence of Lumiphore’s Terbium complex outlasts fluorescence of other molecules so that gated detection results in vastly improved signal-to-noise. Fluorescence of complexes made with Europium, Dysprosium and Samarium last as long as Terbium but glow at entirely different colors, permitting for the first time simultaneous multi-channel fluorescent testing.

Lumiphore plans to use this technology in a variety of applications: clinical uses, pharmaceutical and biotechnological research and development, and imaging. To maximize initial sales and profits, Lumiphore intends to leverage its diagnostic joint venture (below) to generate profits that will enable it to advance its technology and support entry into other markets.