ORCHIDD

The ORCHIDD project aims to develop a rapid, point-of-care Lab-on-a-Chip platform to detect infectious pathogens in 15-30 minutes, targeting antimicrobial resistance and sepsis diagnostics.

Funded By: Biotech Booster

Duration: 24 months

---

Saxion University of Applied Sciences’ Applied Nanotechnology (ANT) research group, in partnership with ECsens B.V. (Occam Dx), is advancing a cutting-edge point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic platform through the ORCHIDD project, funded by the Biotech Booster program. This initiative aims to transform infectious disease detection by enabling rapid, on-site identification of pathogens like viruses and bacteria, addressing critical global health challenges such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and sepsis, which contributes to 1 in 5 deaths worldwide. Under the leadership of ANT’s Dr. Martin Bennink, alongside ECsens’ Dr. Dilu Mathew (CEO) and Dr. Pepijn Beekman (CTO), ORCHIDD leverages a Lab-on-a-Chip system with nanosensors on disposable cartridges. This technology, protected by ECsens’ patent (EP3935390B1), detects individual pathogens in 15-30 minutes, offering superior sensitivity, speed, and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional 3-5 day culture-based methods. Currently at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 4, the platform has been validated in lab settings with synthetic and biological particles. The project, spanning November 2024 to October 2026, is structured into three work packages (WPs). In WP1, led by ECsens, the team will enhance the platform’s technical maturity by developing a scalable chemical modification protocol for nanosensors, optimizing electrochemical and microfluidic designs, upscaling manufacturing, and identifying regulatory risks with mitigation strategies. WP2, led by Saxion, focuses on assay verification by conducting power analysis for sample size, selecting antibodies for target pathogens, and validating the platform with clinically relevant samples in Saxion’s labs. WP3, led by ECsens, strengthens the business case through problem-solution fit analysis, customer validation and market entry planning for Dutch diagnostic labs, financial planning, and finalizing an IP strategy. With a €200,000 Biotech Booster grant, ORCHIDD targets the €1.2 billion AMR diagnostics market and €600 million sepsis diagnostics market, aiming to reduce diagnostic delays by 90% and costs by up to 50%. Collaborators like Benchmark, Micronit, Labmicta, and Medisch Spectrum Twente support the project’s path to impact. At Saxion ANT, we’re committed to driving this multidisciplinary effort, combining nanotechnology, microfluidics, and surface chemistry to deliver a scalable, market-ready diagnostic solution by October 2025, enhancing health outcomes and strengthening the Dutch biotechnology ecosystem.

Click here to go back to the research line

Project Members ANT:

Project Partners:

Saxion ANT, Saxion Centre of Entrepreneurship