Zentek, McMaster announce new aptamer technology platform

Zentek and McMaster University announced that Dr. Yingfu Li and his team at the Li Lab have developed a novel aptamer technology that increases the binding affinity of aptamers by up to 250 times. The increased binding affinity enhances the limits of detection for aptamer-based diagnostics. In addition, the enhanced binding affinity may lead to the successful adaptation of these same aptamers for new therapeutic and prophylactic treatments. Binding affinity is a key metric in both diagnostic and therapeutic applications. This technology platform was first successfully tested in vitro and in vivo against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as reported in the July 20th, 2023, news release. The technology was further tested against previously published aptamers with known binding affinity for human biomarkers including Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Troponin, as well as the influenza virus. These published aptamers were synthesized both in their original state and using the McMaster technology. Afterwards, their binding affinity was measured using both a dot blot assay and biolayer interferometry. In each case, the aptamers synthesized with the technology demonstrated a significant increase in binding affinity, from 30 to 250 times compared to the original aptamers. These results demonstrate the potential broad use of this aptamer technology platform to enhance most existing and future aptamers.