The company’s unique technology is based on pioneering British research and the new premises, which comprise custom-designed commercial, R&D and manufacturing facilities, will allow Intelligent Fingerprinting to develop its products fully in the UK.
The move is part of the company’s ambitious growth plans as it gears up to launch its first product in the coming months. A number of new Cambridge-based employees have joined the company since the beginning of 2015 and there will be no job losses as a result of the relocation from Norfolk.
Dr Jerry Walker, Chief Executive Officer, Intelligent Fingerprinting said: “The company has maintained constant growth since it was first funded in 2009 and the new purpose-designed Cambridge HQ will allow us to continue our expansion, bringing our management team altogether in one place and providing easier access to customers and partners. Cambridge is an important global centre for scientific research and development and, as we approach the launch of our first product, our relocation is timely. Research, development and product manufacturing will all take place on-site, and we hope that our mobile drug screening device will be the first of many revolutionary fingerprint-based developments to come.”
Intelligent Fingerprinting’s portable fingerprint-based technology promises to greatly simplify the way in which drug screening is carried out. Sample collection takes five seconds and the analysis of fingerprint sweat to screen for multiple drugs of abuse takes fewer than 10 minutes. The device has potential for a variety of drug screening applications including drug rehabilitation services, offender management, criminal justice and occupational health.
Dr Walker added: “As a spin out from the University of East Anglia (UEA) we are grateful for the strong support we have received from the Norwich business community and Norwich Research Park, where we have been situated since 2011.”
Intelligent Fingerprinting’s 11,500 sq ft bespoke facility was developed in partnership with Cambridgeshire-based Brightfield Investments. The unit includes custom-designed controlled environment production facilities, warehousing, cold rooms, laboratories, offices and breakout areas.
About Intelligent Fingerprinting
Intelligent Fingerprinting is developing a revolutionary fingerprint-based portable drug screening device. The technology, which works by analysing the sweat from a fingerprint sample, will enable non-invasive, cost-effective screening for multiple drug groups in less than 10 minutes. The product is the first of its kind in the world and is expected to go into production in the near future.
The company’s ground-breaking technology detects drug use by analysing chemicals, known as metabolites, contained in the minute traces of sweat found in a fingerprint. (Metabolites are chemicals produced by the body as a result of normal metabolic processes.) The device looks for the presence of drug metabolites in the test subject’s fingerprint sweat sample and, if detected, identifies the type of drugs which have been ingested, inhaled or injected.
A version of the device will allow the capture of a detailed image of the test subject’s fingerprint. This image may be used to confirm personal identity in relation to the test result, ruling out false positives due to sample mix ups.
Intelligent Fingerprinting has attracted worldwide interest in its technology from a wide range of drug-screening markets including the criminal justice arena, drug rehabilitation centres, prisons and occupational health services. The technique has potential for many other uses including healthcare diagnostics and homeland security applications.
Since 2012 Intelligent Fingerprinting has raised £5.75m in funding from a consortium of private UK and US-based investors, as well as government funding for pilot studies within the UK’s National Health Service and forensics services.
Founded in 2007, Intelligent Fingerprinting is a spin-out company from the University of East Anglia (UEA). The company is based in Cambridge, England and employs around 20 people.
www.intelligentfingerprinting.com
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For media information contact Lorraine Walters at Say Communications
Email: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 8971 6400
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British fingerprint drug screening innovator expands into Cambridge
19 October 2015
Intelligent Fingerprinting, the British company developing the world’s first portable fingerprint-based drug screening device, is expanding its operations by setting up a new global headquarters at Evolution Business Park in Cambridge.