# Quantitative measurement of PlGF using a rapid, low-cost, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platform for prediction and detection of pre-eclampsia

> **NIH NIH R43** · RICOVR HEALTHCARE INC. · 2024 · $295,895

## Abstract

Project Summary
The maternal morbidity and mortality associated with gestational hypertension, and specifically pre-eclampsia,
remains a serious issue within the United States, affecting up to 8% of pregnancies. In addition, there are also
disparities and biases in the healthcare system that leads to a disproportionate incidence of pre-eclampsia for
mothers based on racial and socioeconomic factors. The lack of objective and affordable technologies for
predicting and diagnosing gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia plays at least some part in this continued
health crisis. The current standard of care for predicting and diagnosing pre-eclampsia relies on biometrics which
are prone to bias and lack clinical accuracy. In recent years, new biomarkers, such as Placental Growth Factor
(PlGF), have been identified and proven to have strong diagnostic potential for predicting and detecting pre-
eclampsia. However, there is not yet an accurate, sensitive, quantitative, and affordable tool for measuring PlGF
at the point-of-care (POC). Ricovr Healthcare has invented a novel diagnostic platform for performing an
immunoassay using a plasmonic fiber-optic absorbance biosensor (P-FAB). This technology is capable of
quantitatively measuring a wide range of biomarkers at ultrasensitive concentrations ranging from 1 fg/mL to 1
ug/mL in as little as ten minutes with a wash-free immunoassay. The platform is low-cost, handheld, and simple
to use; it is comprised of a reusable connected reader device and disposable cartridges, enabling POC
applications for pre-eclampsia diagnosis such as during routine prenatal visits in primary care or
obstetrician/gynecologist offices. This Phase I SBIR proposal aims to demonstrate the feasibility of developing
a POC assay for measuring PlGF on the P-FAB platform at clinically relevant concentrations and to validate its
performance using authentic biologic samples. The successful completion of these objectives will lead to
subsequent analytical and clinical trials to support a 510(k) submission to the FDA as part of a Phase II SBIR
proposal. The culmination of these studies will be the development of an objective and affordable POC tool for
detecting, predicting, and monitoring pre-eclampsia in clinical settings.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10820752
- **Project number:** 1R43HL172410-01
- **Recipient organization:** RICOVR HEALTHCARE INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Joseph Seimetz
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $295,895
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-17 → 2026-01-16

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10820752

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10820752, Quantitative measurement of PlGF using a rapid, low-cost, point-of-care (POC) diagnostic platform for prediction and detection of pre-eclampsia (1R43HL172410-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10820752. Licensed CC0.

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