Biomagnetics Announces the First Urine-Based Test for Tuberculosis

Traditional tuberculosis testing can take days to return a result, and, while newer PCR tests can deliver results in a matter of hours, they are much more expensive. Orangevale, CA-based Biomagnetics Diagnostics Corporation claims that its new urine-based test will solve both the time and cost problems by providing results in about 20 minutes, at a significantly lower cost than PCR-based testing. The new test is performed using optical biosensor technology which Biomagnetics licensed from Los Alamos National Laboratory last year. The company plans to incorporate the new technology into a handheld device to enable point of care testing.
From the product page:

Biomagnetics Diagnostics’ triggered optical biosensor is based on protein-receptor binding that brings two or more optically tagged receptors into close proximity using planar optical waveguides, thereby triggering fluorescence changes identified almost instantly by tiny on-board detectors. These devices are specifically designed to be battery operated and ultraportable, allowing for the rapid detection of various viral and bacterial pathogens by relatively untrained personnel outside of the laboratory setting.
Los Alamos originally developed the concept of a reagent-less, laser-based system for homeland security purposes, aiming to allow first responders to rapidly identify toxins and pathogens in the field. Broader applications, such as disease diagnostics, blood bank screening and hospital use, offer commercial partners an interesting opportunities.