NEMIS Technologies Ltd.

Today, there’s a growing awareness among consumers and food producers about the critical issue of food safety. Microbial contamination of food causes expensive product recalls to the industry and is the source of foodborne infections affecting more than 600 million people and resulting in more than 400’000 deaths each year. There is a clear and increasing need for improved testing and monitoring of the environment in the food chain, however, current detection methods fall short from offering an easy-to-use, rapid, on-site and cost-effective solution due to their dependency on centralized laboratories. Enter NEMIS Technologies Ltd.

Co-founded in 2018 by Biosynth AG and Ramot, the tech transfer office of the Tel-Aviv University, NEMIS is a Swiss diagnostic company transforming microbiological detection in the fields of food safety, clinical diagnostics, water safety and animal health. The company empowers users to minimize microbiological risk by providing a unique lab-free detection system that is simple to use. NEMIS’s AquaSpark is a groundbreaking platform technology consisting of synthetic molecules designed to detect live bacteria using chemiluminescence (production of light from a chemical reaction).

The chemiluminescence produced by AquaSpark is 1000 times brighter than traditional chemiluminescent molecules: this makes NEMIS’ solution a cutting- edge technology for sensitive detection across a wide range of applications.

The groundbreaking AquaSpark platform technology behind NEMIS N-Light tests offers a unique and powerful alternative to existing diagnostic methods providing food producers and processors with the first reliable on-site method that conveniently enables rapid lab-free testing of work surfaces at any point in the supply chain. Arnaud Muller, the company’s CEO, says, “We are extremely proud to receive the validation of our N-Light Listeria monocytogenes kit from AOAC in the food safety arena. At NEMIS, the team aspire to create a safe food value chain so none of the most vulnerable consumers will be exposed to unsafe products. Thanks to our game-changing innovation, thousands of food producers and processors worldwide determined to maintain high quality standards and protect their brands from damaging product recalls, will be able to improve the safety and quality of their products while driving cost- savings. We will be launching very soon in Switzerland and in Europe.”

AquaSpark’s design enables them to detect live bacteria using chemiluminescence, a chemical light reaction. The central “light-emitting part” of the AquaSpark molecule is combined with a bacteria-specific substrate. Target bacteria produce enzymes or other hydrolysis triggers that cause the AquaSparkTM molecule to split. As a result, the reaction induces light emission. Moreover, a simple light sensor measures this emission. Due to the AquaSpark modular toolbox’s virtually endless possibilities, the N-Light platform can be tailored to detect any chosen microorganisms. For example, bacteria, parasites, viruses, or fungi.

Chemiluminescence produced by AquaSpark is 1000 times brighter than traditional molecules. Consequently, this makes our N-Light solution a cutting-edge technology for sensitive detection across a wide range of applications. Dr. Mario Hupfeld, the company’s CSO adds, “Our goal was to develop and validate a Listeria monocytogenes environmental monitoring protocol that provides food customers in the least amount of time possible with the information they require to implement an effective seek and destroy approach without delay. Our revolutionary protocol identifies Listeria monocytogenes with matchless sensitivity and specificity, yielding results from an environmental swab overnight. This protocol from sampling collection to results reading and interpretation can be performed by anyone at any time and on-site thanks to our innovative biosafety cap.”