Author: Karol Maryniowski

SDS Optic S.A. combines
Photonics, Molecular Biology, Chemistry and Medical Bioengineering
in one unique technological platform called inPROBE®

SDS Optic S.A. effectively combines the fields of molecular biology, photonics, immunochemistry and biomedical engineering. We are a team of scientists and specialists who has set themselves the objective of supporting medicine and improving the quality of life of people around the world. We implement it by creating innovative technologies that save human life and health.

The flagship SDS Optic project is the world unique inPROBE® optical fibre micro-probe, which enables real-time diagnosis of breast cancer.

Our story

Founders of SDS Optic and inventors of the inPROBE® technology Magdalena and Marcin Staniszewski are Polish scientists, who gained experience years of practice in the United States, working with institutions such as NASA or Harvard Medical School. It was overseas that the idea of developing diagnostic technology was born, combining optoelectronics with molecular biology. The pair of scientists decided to return to their homeland in order to set up their biotechnology start-up there. The company was officially established in 2013 in Lublin (Poland). At the end of 2016, a 6 micron fibre probe was developed – the cornerstone of the inPROBE® technology, and preclinical trials were carried out on human cells in vitro in the area of detection of HER2 biomarker positive breast cancer.

The first successes resulted in patent applications. By 2020, the Company has achieved further project development milestones. We created a modern laboratory infrastructure and performed pre-clinical trials on animals. The promising results of the research confirmed the legitimacy of developing this new, breakthrough diagnostic technology.

2021 and the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic changed the reality of many companies. Clinics and hospitals have focused on the fight against the virus, and this situation has prevented planned clinical trials on human subjects. We used this time to reliably prepare for research, for certification and global commercialization of our technology. We have opened a new 700m2 laboratory space and started work on the application of microprobe in the area of detection of infectious diseases (including SARS-CoV-2).

2022 was marked with numerous important events. We made our debut on the NewConnect stock exchange and began clinical trials of our device. We regularly increase the set of competences of our teams and employ outstanding specialists in the fields of science, technology and business development. This year, we have also launched a Clean Room for the manufacture of the optoelectronic part of inPROBE® biosensors.

Our Mission and Vision

Currently, the key stage of cancer diagnosis is biopsy and histopathological examination, which are to answer the question, among others, whether there are tumor markers in the tissues collected from the patient. Today, the gold standard in histopathology is the staining of immunohistochemical hormonal receptors. To simply the entire for illustrative purposes the colour represents the test result. Depending on the intensity of tissue staining, histologists determine whether the patient has cancer and at what stage of development it is. The test result is therefore not a numerical value, but only a relative visual assessment..

The technology that we invented at SDS Optic S.A. will allow to indicate, and that in real time, the exact mathematical result related to the concentration of the tested molecule.

The vision of SDS Optic is to increase the survival rate of cancer patients by approx. 30% by 2030 – these are hundreds of thousands of women around the world who, thanks to our technology, can be quickly diagnosed, and will have a chance to be cured – dr. hab. Magdalena Staniszewska, the originator of the microprobe, has been associated with the Harvard Medical School in Boston for many years.

SDS Optic gathers the most talented scientists in the field of molecular biology, chemistry and biotechnology. Our team is constantly developing, also in the business sphere, currently managed by our Operations and Business Development Director Mateusz Sagan, achieving further successes and presenting itself both at global events and in the media.

The development of innovative technology for the manufacture of laser microprobes is possible thanks to significant public support that SDS Optic was able to secure. The Polish National Centre for Research and Development co-financed the project under the STRATEGMED and PatentPlus programmes. In addition, INNOventure – a fund of the Kraków Technology Park and private investors created as part of the NCBiR – BRIdge Alfa initiative – also invested PLN 3 million in the development of SDS Optic.

SDS Optic S.A. is one of the largest beneficiaries of the EASME agency under Horizon 2020 framework programme of the European Commission. The company belongs to the Lublin Medicine – Medical & Wellness Cluster and to the Polish Technological Platform on Photonics.