GRIP Molecular Announces BLUE KNIGHT™ Acceptance

GRIP Molecular's participation in this selective program is another step toward realization of the transformative potential of its next-generation diagnostic technology

St. Paul, MN /PRNewswire/ - GRIP Molecular Technologies, Inc. ('GRIP') (www.GRIPMolecular.com), an early-stage diagnostic company, announced that it has been accepted into Blue Knight, a joint initiative between Johnson and Johnson Innovation – JLABS ('JLABS') and the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA). Through Blue Knight, GRIP will receive fee assistance towards its JLABS residency at JPOD @ Boston, located at the Cambridge Innovation Center's (CIC) location in Kendall Square, Cambridge Massachusetts.

GRIP is developing a novel graphene-based electronic biosensor technology that aims to provide rapid, simultaneous, lab-grade accuracy detection of an array of infectious diseases, anytime, anywhere, by any user. Using GRIP's disposable cartridge and a standard cell phone, the device will provide results in minutes using easy to gather samples, e.g. nasal or saliva. Unlike other diagnostics, GRIP's first product aims to simultaneously and accurately detect a wide variety of upper respiratory infection pathogens, including Influenza, COVID-19, RSV and other common diseases, with one sample and one test that takes minutes to perform. The GRIP platform technology eliminates the need for multi-step chemical-based sample preparation and the wires, batteries, chargers, and other equipment associated with today's diagnostic tests. The samples are gathered, immediately mixed with a solution and injected into the GRIP cartridge. When the cartridge is brought into proximity with a standard cell phone, the results are automatically displayed and can be securely transmitted to a clinician to make treatment decisions virtually. New pathogens are expected to be readily added to the panel of diseases the single-use cartridge can detect to address new disease threats.

As part of Blue Knight, GRIP will gain access to the Johnson & Johnson Innovation ecosystem through physical residency and virtual opportunities, as well as customized programming and dedicated mentorship from BARDA and the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies.

According to Edward Gillen, GRIP's CEO, "GRIP is at the intersection of biology, electronics and digital health. We have synergistically assembled a variety of relatively new technologies in a unique manner to put lab-grade diagnostics literally into the hands of the end user in a way that the results can be immediately shared with others to facilitate rapid diagnosis and the application of appropriate therapy. We view admittance into Blue Knight as further recognition of the potentially transformative impact the GRIP diagnostic technology could have on healthcare."

About GRIP Molecular:
GRIP Molecular was founded in 2019 with the mission of transformatively enhancing healthcare by putting actionable diagnostic results directly into the hands of the end user. The patent-protected technologies they utilize have yielded extraordinary levels of diagnostic performance in carefully controlled experiments. GRIP is preparing to initiate clinical validation of these performance results later this year.