Albuquerque biotech startup develops Covid-19 detection technology

See Correction/Clarification at end of article

This month, an Albuquerque biotech startup announced it was joining other companies that have rolled out new technologies aimed at detecting Covid-19.

BioFlyte's product, called the Sentinel, offers on-site testing in under one hour, as opposed to having to wait longer for other types of results. The company says it has conducted testing with "a leading university hospital in the U.S." and that its technology was "determined to be effective" at collecting SARS-CoV-2 virus into a small sample.

Critical Environmental Remediation Industries, an indoor air quality company headquartered in Michigan, uses the technology to test environments where employees work to ensure they do not contract the illness, said CERI Vice President Scott Fisher. The company uses it for "maritime safety" purposes, according to a release from BioFlyte.

"BioFlyte’s focus has always been critical infrastructure protection and emergency response, and over the past year, that has meant pandemic response,” BioFlyte cofounder and CEO Charles Call said in a statement. “We used our talent and technology to develop and validate a revolutionary new tool in the fight against COVID-19, especially as schools and workplaces look to reopen safely. The Sentinel was purpose built for environmental monitoring for COVID-19 and other airborne respiratory pathogens."

BioFlyte was launched last year by Zeteo Tech, a biodefense and medical device company firm based out of Sykesville, Maryland. The startup has already found funding for the technology, announcing $1.25 million in financing in June 2020. At the time, the main use for its technology was going to be for protecting "critical infrastructure" — places like government labs and banks — Business First reported.

The investment round was led by nationwide investment firm Anzu Partners, which also invested in New Mexico biotech company Nature's Toolbox. Anzu focuses on industrial and life science tech companies.

A representative for BioFlyte was unable to be reached for immediate comment. Call previously told Business First the startup leases space at the The BioScience Center and Sandia Science & Technology Park. It reportedly had five employees at the time.

Other companies are cashing in on the demand for increased health measures. Perhaps one of the most prominent examples in Albuquerque is Build With Robots, which is selling a robot designed to disinfect large spaces. Earlier this year, the New Mexico Economic Development Department announced that the company planned to add dozens of jobs throughout the next few years as part of a government-backed expansion effort.