• Gentag’s pathbreaking IP now covers NFC sensors for food and beverage safety, packaging, and counterfeit prevention

    April 30, 2019

    WASHINGTON, DC. April 30, 2019.

    Gentag’s pathbreaking IP now covers NFC sensors for food and beverage safety, packaging, and counterfeit prevention

    Gentag, Inc. (www.gentag.com) is pleased to announce the issuance of its latest patent, US patent 10,271,738. This broadly applicable new patent covers wireless NFC sensors for the detection and monitoring of bacteria, odors, temperature, specific chemistries or moisture levels in food packaging. The patent also covers NFC sensors for consumable liquids, including spirits.

    NFC sensors do not need batteries to operate, making the platform ideal for producing ultra-thin sensors for packaging. These sensors can provide precise and actionable data on an unprecedented scale, as well as allow for direct engagement with customers.

    As each sensor has a unique ID, the technology can be used not only for specific sensing applications but also for product authentication and tracking, such as accessing certifications and shipment history. NFC sensors can be securely read using any smartphone, including the iPhone.

    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that roughly one-third of all the food produced worldwide is lost or wasted each year. This corresponds to $1.2 trillion in annual losses.[i] According to the Business Research Company, the size of the food and beverages market is predicted to reach $5 trillion by 2022.[ii] Reducing food waste, detecting spoilage and bacterial contaminants, and improving efficiency are therefore of urgent concern, and new solutions are critically needed.

    Gentag’s widely applicable NFC food sensor technology could be applied to everything from improving consumer health to helping contain large-scale outbreaks of food-borne illnesses and reducing waste.

    ABOUT GENTAG

    Gentag is a visionary IP and technology development company that combines its advanced knowledge in biology, chemistry and microelectronics to convert consumer safety and health concerns into everyday disposable sensors that will revolutionize diagnostics, proactive medicine, nutrition and the everyday lives of consumers worldwide.

    Gentag, Inc. and its patent holding company, Altivera, LLC, hold over 100 issued patents covering cell phone-based consumer safety sensors, IoT sensors and sensors for instant diagnostic tests. These combined technologies allow for a range of groundbreaking consumer applications, from simple IoT sensor readings such as temperature or packaging tamper resistance, to sophisticated consumer health applications including biomarker analyses.

    In addition to its NFC sensor portfolio, Gentag is also developing an optical blockchain sensor platform for new types of consumer market sensing applications. Optical blockchain sensors have broad market applications, including for food safety, bacterial detection, consumer health and mobile payments. They can be mass produced rapidly and at a very low cost.

     

    For licensing or partnership opportunities, please contact:

     

    David DeSimone         ddesimone@capstoneheadwaters.com   Tel: 617-233-4556

    John P. Peeters, Ph.D. john.peeters@3.236.161.21  Tel:  240-994-2236

     

    [i] https://www.bcg.com/en-us/publications/2018/tackling-1.6-billion-ton-food-loss-and-waste-crisis.aspx

     

    [ii] https://www.thebusinessresearchcompany.com/report/food-and-beverages-global-market-report

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  • Gentag’s IP now covers all key areas of wireless diagnostics including diagnostic skin patches, immunoassays and lab-on-a-chip technologies.

    November 10, 2017

    WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2017 /PRNewswire/ —

    Gentag, Inc. is pleased to announce the issuance of 30 additional patents in Europe covering wireless lab-on- a-chip (LOC) diagnostic devices.

    The company now holds over 100 issued patents covering cell-based consumer and medical diagnostics that are at the apex of personalized medicine, telemedicine and point-of- care testing. These combined technologies allow a range of applications from simple diagnostics (such as a wireless fever detection skin patch) to sophisticated biomarker analyses for precision medicine.

    Recent advances in proteomics and artificial intelligence (AI) will scale up the discovery of new biomarkers and monoclonal antibodies that in turn can be used for the creation of low cost advanced diagnostic sensors.

    Using the patented Gentag technology, advanced diagnostics can be done on the spot using a single drop of blood or urine on a disposable wireless device.

    New protein, biomarker and metabolite patterns can be applied to early disease detection, preventive medicine, immunotherapy and new drug development.

    Disposable wireless diagnostic sensors will allow medical professionals and consumers to undertake diagnostics at the point of care in a market expected to hit $96 billion by 2024.

    ABOUT THE GENTAG PATENTS
    The new patents are issuing under EP 2843848 B1 and complement the already-issued US lab-on- a-chip patent 9,470,699. Gentag’s LOC patents cover protein and biomarker quantification, DNA testing and chemical mixing on a small disposable device controlled and read by a cell phone, using NFC or Bluetooth.  The patents are held by Altivera, LLC a Gentag shareholder owned company.

    ABOUT GENTAG
    Gentag is a visionary company that combines its advanced knowledge in biology, chemistry and microelectronics to convert proteomics into disposable sensors that will revolutionize diagnostics, proactive medicine, nutrition and the everyday lives of consumers worldwide.

    For licensing or partnership opportunities please contact:
    John Peeters info@3.236.161.21 1-240- 994-2236

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  • Gentag Announces Lab-on-a-Chip (LOC) Patent For Diagnostics With Cell Phones (NFC)

    October 18, 2016

    This new platform could make accurate point-of-care diagnostics instantly available to anyone with a cell phone.

     WASHINGTON, DC, October 18, 2016 — /PRNewswire/ —

    Gentag, Inc. is pleased to announce the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 9,470,699. This is the company’s seventy-sixth issued patent in the area of diagnostics with cell phones. This new patent, which covers both advanced biomarker and DNA-level detection with smartphone-based diagnostics, further enhances the company’s already significant intellectual property holdings of near field communication (NFC) mobile phone sensor technologies, including patents on wearable NFC diagnostic skin patches, immunoassays, lab-on-a-chip (LOC), printable e-noses and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

    The new patent covers quantitative diagnostic tests that could be carried out anywhere – no lab, or costly lab work, needed – using NFC-enabled mobile phones. With LOC technology, combined with other Gentag intellectual properties, multiple diagnostic tests could be possible within minutes using a small blood or urine sample. The new Gentag patent combines NFC, LOC, sensors and microfluidics, enabling virtually any biomarker or DNA test to be conducted with an NFC mobile phone. Biomarkers, tiny biological “signature” molecules, indicate the presence of specific proteins, diseases or medical conditions, including cancer.

    This wireless platform technology, which can be tailored to measure almost any protein, biomarker or DNA, is disposable. Examples of potential applications include: on-the-spot detection of a medical condition, companion diagnostics for problematic drug interactions, or the detection of specific allergens in foods. The technology could further be used for drug mixing and delivery, rapid lab tests, forensics and a multiplicity of applications where minuscule amounts of fluids and chemistries need to be mixed and controlled with precision. The use of NFC and cell phones ensures that the technology could become widely available to anyone.

    Because of its low cost and ease of use, the technology could revolutionize diagnostics. “We believe that the combination of the LOC technology with NFC sensors and proprietary chemistries will allow accurate diagnostic testing to become available to anyone with access to a cell phone,” stated Dr. John P. Peeters, Gentag’s founder and Chief Executive.

    Gentag’s early NFC patents, filed in 2003 and 2004, address the uses of disposable NFC sensor devices, including wearable skin patches, and associated NFC readers in devices such as mobile phones. The new allowance complements the previously announced NFC diagnostic skin patch, immunoassay and e-nose patents.

    The technology is currently available for licensing.  For more information, please contact Scott Chesky in New York at 646-937-6550 or gentag@cheskypartners.com.

     About Gentag

    Gentag is pioneering the use of disposable, ultrathin wearable and immunoassay biosensors that can be read with NFC-enabled devices, which will make healthcare and consumer diagnostics more affordable and accessible to all worldwide. The company’s groundbreaking work will revolutionize not only medical applications, but also location-based services and the detection of environmental threats in food, homes and workplaces everywhere. Gentag’s first wireless sensor network patent was filed in 1997. All Gentag NFC patents are held by Altivera, LLC, a Maryland company operated by Gentag and owned by its shareholders.

    Gentag’s powerful IP and partnerships are at work for a smarter, more connected world.

    For more information, visit http://3.236.161.21/ and follow Gentag on Twitter (@gentagInc).

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  • Gentag and Security First Corp. Sign Agreement to Secure NFC Sensor Transactions

    January 12, 2016

    Can the IoT Actually Be Secure? These Two Companies Say Yes

    Gentag and Security First Corp. Sign Agreement to Secure NFC Sensor Transactions

    WASHINGTON, DC and RANCHO SANTA MARGARITA, CA–(Marketwired – Jan 11, 2016) –  Gentag Inc. and Security First Corp. have announced an agreement to secure NFC and sensor transactions for the Internet of Things (IoT). California-based Security First Corp.’s patented cryptographic splitting technology called SPx™ (SecureParser® extended), which uses multi-factor secret sharing, will be used to secure NFC and other IoT sensor solutions for personal identification, contactless payments, healthcare, fitness, and home applications. By leveraging both companies’ expertise, security standards will advance exponentially for cell phone NFC or Bluetooth-based sensor transactions, which are forecasted to experience explosive growth in the coming decade. Application examples include diabetes monitoring, smart medication, nutrition and fitness, and authentication.

    Security First Corp.’s cryptographic splitting technology is the only security technology in the marketplace today which offers all the key components of data security; confidentiality, integrity and availability in one solution. It can be embedded directly into the sensors, or overlaid with any existing Android NFC reader, such as a smartphone or tablet. The company’s SPx technology provides a simple way to protect and control access to any data, whether at rest or in motion across diverse systems. The technology randomly splits (scrambles) the data into secure shares, authenticates those data shares, and then transmits those shares as unreadable pieces so they can be stored in multiple locations.

    SPx technology is government certified to protect the highest level of classified data. Additionally, it is Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-2 level 1 and 2 certified, with multiple FIPS certifications. It is also Common Criteria EAL4+ compliant and has passed EAL4+ platform certification.

    Initial focus areas are medical, diagnostic and pharmaceutical applications. Gentag holds worldwide patents in the areas of wearable and biomarker sensors that can be read with NFC- enabled devices, such as most smartphones.

    The number of sensor-based IoT transactions is expected to explode over the next decade, causing disruption across multiple industries. Some predictions are that there will be one trillion sensor transactions by 2020. As the number of transactions and the sensitivity of the information exchanged increases, security and data concerns will be increasingly important. “By encrypting at the level of the sensor or ASIC, optimal security is assured,” said Dr. John P. Peeters, president and chief executive officer of Gentag. “Certain sectors, including authentication and healthcare, are going to see more disruption than others. Healthcare in particular will entail the exchange of sensitive information, and it is imperative that the information is kept secure.”

    An example of a patented Gentag application is using NFC skin patches to measure levels of ultraviolet radiation (UV) for skin cancer prevention. A mother can use the patch directly with her cell phone to verify the sun exposure level of her child for the day or over several days. Whether the measurements are for sun exposure, temperature, diabetes or drug delivery, such seemingly small sensor transactions are private and should be secured to protect the mother’s identity and keep her location information and that of her children secure, among other considerations.

    “Safeguarding patient data is a top concern for the medical devices industry. Now with the addition of SPx technology in Gentag products, users can rest assured that the information gathered is protected,” said Mark O’Hare, president and chief executive officer of Security First Corp. “We look forward to working with Gentag to provide a secure solution for NFC devices.”

    The combined NFC and SPx safety technology is available immediately for a number of market applications. For a demonstration of the technology or for licensing, contact info@3.236.161.21 or sales@securityfirstcorp.com.

    About Gentag

    Gentag is pioneering the use of disposable, ultrathin wearable biosensors that can be read with NFC-enabled devices, which will make healthcare and consumer diagnostics more affordable and accessible to all worldwide. The company’s groundbreaking work will revolutionize not only medical applications, but also location-based services and the detection of environmental threats in food, homes and workplaces everywhere.

    Gentag’s powerful IP and partnerships are at work for a smarter, more connected world.

    For more information, visit http://3.236.161.21/ and follow Gentag on Twitter (@gentagInc).

    About Security First

    Founded in 2002, Security First Corp., is a privately held company headquartered in Rancho Santa Margarita, California. As the industry leader in software-defined data security technology, the company holds more than 268 patents and patent applications. It is committed to bringing advanced, data-centric security solutions that solve many of the new challenges brought by the tremendous growth of digital information. SPxSHARC™, the company’s latest data security product, protects information down to the bit level, ensuring data is safe within a network that has been breached, misconfigured or has failed to apply security updates. Products built around this unique SPx™ core technology are currently protecting exabytes of data for customers in government, communications, defense and military applications. For more information, visit
    www.securityfirstcorp.com.

    Contact Information

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  • “Sweating the big stuff” – Gentag mentioned in September 19th print edition of The Economist

    September 18, 2015

    Gentag’s pain-free wearable diabetes patch technology was mentioned in an article that appeared in the September 19th print edition of The Economist.

    For the full article, please visit: http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21664942-patches-skin-can-analyse-sweat-and-monitor-glucose-sweating-big-stuff

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  • Mayo Clinic and Gentag, Inc. Announce Agreement To Develop Wireless Sensors for Treatment of Obesity and Diabetes

    March 4, 2015

    ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic and Gentag, Inc. have reached an agreement to develop the next generation of wearable biosensors designed to fight obesity and diabetes.

    “We are hoping that this technology will be game-changer. These patch biosensors may help us reduce global obesity and diabetes,” says James Levine, M.D., Ph.D., a Mayo Clinic endocrinologist and obesity researcher. “They are accurate, inexpensive, and can be integrated into the care people receive.”

    A first-of-its-kind, the wearable patch sensors are the size of a small bandage, and are designed to be painless, wireless and disposable. In the bandage is a sensor that communicates via a closed-loop diabetes management system which is compatible with cell phones. The system will allow researchers to monitor movement and develop treatments for obesity and related conditions.

    A joint intellectual property (IP) agreement with Mayo Clinic made the research and development of this tool possible. Gentag signed a patent pooling agreement with Mayo Clinic for the management of IP related to wearable patch sensor and wireless communication technologies. Under the agreement, certain patent rights and technologies of both Mayo Clinic and Gentag will be combined and commercialized.

    The two firms will collaborate with third parties under license to bring Mayo Clinic’s expertise in medicine and clinical practices to the public by the development of the next generation of wearable skin patch technologies from Gentag in the areas of diabetes and obesity management. More than 50 issued patents and technologies are being offered for licensing under the agreement.

    “We are thrilled to be cooperating with the Mayo Clinic on these amazing new wireless technologies,” says John P. Peeters, Ph.D., the CEO of Gentag. “We look forward to working with the medical device community to get this technology into the marketplace.”

    Additionally, Mayo’s Micro-Miniature Transceiver chip will be combined with Gentag’s radar-responsive tag technology and integrated under license to create a new type of communication chip that will combine Near Field Communication (NFC), Body Area Networks (BAN), as well as long-range wireless communication and geolocation.

    About Mayo Clinic

    Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization committed to medical research and education, and providing expert, whole-person care to everyone who needs healing. For more information, visit http://mayocl.in/1ohJTMS, or http://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/.

    About Gentag

    Gentag, Inc. is pioneering the use of disposable, ultrathin, wearable and immunoassay biosensors that can be read with NFC-enabled devices, which will make healthcare and consumer diagnostics more affordable and accessible to all worldwide. These products and services will revolutionize not only medical applications, but also location-based services and the detection of environmental threats in homes and workplaces. Gentag’s first wireless sensor network patent was filed in 1997. All Gentag NFC patents are held by Altivera, LLC, a Maryland company operated by Gentag and owned by its shareholders. For more information, visit http://3.236.161.21 and follow Gentag on Twitter (@gentagInc).

    For licensing rights under the joint Mayo-Gentag agreement, please contact:

    Bruce R. Kline
    Technology Licensing Manager II
    Mayo Clinic Ventures
    200 First Street SW
    Rochester, MN 55905
    Phone: 507-266-4586
    Fax: 507-284-5410
    Email: kline.bruce1@mayo.edu

    John P. Peeters, Ph.D.
    President and CEO
    Gentag, Inc.
    3299 K Street, NW, Suite 100
    Washington, D.C. 20007
    Phone: 240-994-2236
    Fax: 301-913-0350
    Email: john.peeters@3.236.161.21

    Media Contacts

    Brian Kilen, Mayo Clinic
    507-284-5005
    newsbureau@mayo.edu

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