# Developing prototype injectability and developability testing system based on microfluidic quartz resonators

> **NIH NIH R44** · QATCH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC · 2022 · $598,658

## Abstract

The objective of this SBIR Phase II proposal is to carry QATCH’s nanovisQ™ technology, which is a wide-
shear-rate range and low volume viscometer for determining developability and injectability of biopharmaceutical
formulations, from proof-of-concept to deployable, and reliable prototypes. This objective is motivated by the
needs of the growing protein-based biopharmaceutical therapeutics industry (with global market size over $100
billion). Protein-based therapeutics are administered as high concentration formulations due to the volume
constraints of subcutaneous injections. However, increased protein-protein interactions at these high
concentrations can cause injectability and manufacturability issues, which cannot be determined at early stages
of drug development due to the high sample volume requirements of conventional rheology techniques. By
developing a wide shear rate range, low volume viscometer, protein molecules can be optimized for
injectability/manufacturability and candidates with better developability can be selected for scaling-up. This
proposal is significant because the proposed device can assess injectability of protein formulations earlier in
drug development than existing technology and consequently reduce the time and cost of R&D spent in
developing new, injectable protein-based therapeutics considerably. In SBIR Phase I studies, QATCH has
successfully extended the shear-rate range of viscosity measurements of the nanovisQ™ for proper
characterization of the high concentration protein solutions. As a result, the nanovisQ™ is now positioned to be
a good fit for viscosity measurements of high concentration protein formulations. In SBIR Phase II QATCH is
proposing to 1) develop a sacrificial poly-Si based fabrication process to build microfluidics on quartz wafers,
2) develop a prototype control and data acquisition module for nanovisQ™ sensors. Developing deployable and
reliable nanovisQ™ sensors and instruments will be a key step in commercialization of this technology.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10384221
- **Project number:** 2R44GM139438-02
- **Recipient organization:** QATCH TECHNOLOGIES, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Zehra Parlak
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $598,658
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2022-02-08 → 2024-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10384221

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10384221, Developing prototype injectability and developability testing system based on microfluidic quartz resonators (2R44GM139438-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10384221. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*