Current allergy diagnosis is a complicated multistep process with varying success, and the same is true for the treatment of allergies. What really is missing is a simple functional test that accurately detects allergies in a quantitative manner. This is where ATANIS Biotech steps in. The spin-off from the University of Bern has developed such a test. Find out more about how their diagnostic process works and how they came together as a team.

With ATANIS you simplify and speed up the diagnosis of allergies. How exactly does it work?

We have developed a functional allergy screening test, based on a proprietary cell line. Our cells behave exactly like allergic cells in our body. We can thus mimic, and quantify, allergic reactions in a test tube. They can be expanded on demand and to near-unlimited numbers. Importantly, the cells show unprecedented sensitivity and reactivity. Overall, these features translate into a standardized and highly sensitive functional allergy assay.

The term ‘functional’ is particularly important here, as many allergy readouts are non-functional blood parameters with poor predictive value. There is furthermore no safety concern with our test, as we only need a little bit of patient blood. This is in sharp contrast to in vivo testing, such as the commonly performed skin prick test.

Another major benefit of our test is that it is based on patient serum or plasma, which can be frozen and stored for long periods, whereas other comparable tests depend on fresh full blood, which needs to be processed and used within hours.

Last but not least, we have established a multiplexing protocol that allows us to test many conditions in a same test tube. Already now we are able to run hundreds of tests a day with a minimal laboratory setup.

The composition of a team is crucial. Investors or other experts pay particular attention to the team constellation in every startup assessment. How did you come together?

The molecular bases of the cell system used in our test were laid almost 10 years ago in a “fun project” in the research lab of Thomas Kaufmann (Institute of Pharmacology, University of Bern). Thomas is a basic cell death researcher with focus on cancer and inflammation. Not surprisingly, the potential of this discovery was initially lost to him, but soon recognized by Alexander Eggel (DBMR, Universität Bern, und Universitätsklinik für Rheumatologie, Immunologie und Allergologie, Inselspital) with his interest and expertise in allergy research and translational applications of such.

Given the rather unsatisfactory state-of-the-art diagnosis of allergies, Alexander immediately realized that there was an opportunity to develop a new test that might become the next gold standard in allergy diagnostics. Alexander and Thomas have teamed up and were soon fortunate to be complemented by Noemi Zbären, first as a Master student in Alexander’s lab and since June 2021 as co-founder and CEO of ATANIS Biotech AG. Noemi has been a tremendous asset in this adventure. She has established most of the assay and is the driving force behind our young spinoff company. Noemi knows how to overcome any hurdles that are coming up! And the pun is intended, as Noemi is also a professional hurdles sprinter in her other life.

By another fortunate coincidence, we were lucky that Jean-Pierre Kinet joined our team as cofounder and Chairman of the Board. Jean-Pierre has had a stellar academic career in allergy research in the US at NIH and Harvard University and has transitioned into a successful businessman in recent years.

A few months ago, Robin van Brummelen joined as research associate, financed by a grant from the Swiss Innovation Agency (Innosuisse) to Alexander and Thomas.

«We knew from the beginning that the science behind our product was working very well»

and that allergic patients may significantly benefit from our assay. Looking back we started this in a rather naïve way, and we are having a laugh about it when realize how much things have changed in this short time already. We are increasingly growing into the startup and entrepreneurial world and all of us have started to appreciate and enjoy this “new world” outside of academia.

Thank you very much for these insights. And good luck for the upcoming investor pitches.
For more information visit the following press release from the University of Bern and the Inselspital.

Noemi Zbären

Alexander Eggel

Thomas Kaufmann

Jean-Pierre Kinet

Robin van Brummelen