Varro Life Sciences detects pathogens with a chip, not in a lab. Our technology redefines how pathogens are detected and analyzed. By combining semiconductors, electrochemistry, and nanobody science, Varro delivers rapid, accurate, and scalable intelligence of biological data.
Nanobody Innovation
Nanobodies are small antigen-binding molecules similar to antibodies. They are highly stable, easy to produce, and uniquely suited for rapid diagnostic assays at the point of care. Nanobodies are also very amenable to the creation of highly diverse libraries. Varro is building one of the world’s most expansive naïve nanobody libraries, with 10¹² distinct specificities, which represents a 100,000-fold increase over typical libraries. By sourcing nanobodies from multiple camelid species across four geographical regions, this library maximizes biological diversity and enables screening against both known and emerging pathogens. The result is the ability to develop new biosensors against novel threats in as little as four weeks.
Semiconductor-based Biosensors
At the core of Varro’s platform is a semiconductor, and the key to our innovation lies in our multidisciplinary approach to biosensor development. Nanobodies are deposited on specific layers of the chip, creating an electrical signal in the presence of target pathogens. This approach detects pathogens within seconds and has demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in a clinical study at Washington University in St. Louis.
Real-Time Diagnostic Devices
The Varro Breath-Based Diagnostic integrates an aerosol collector with the MIE, enabling direct analysis of exhaled breath. The Nasal Swab Diagnostic Panel is a rapid test for multiple infectious respiratory pathogens. Results are available in under 60 seconds, giving clinicians and screening authorities immediate, actionable data for differential diagnosis at the point of care.
Environmental Monitoring
Varro’s pathogen Air Bio Detector (ABD) continuously samples and tests for the presence of airborne pathogens, with readouts as often as every 5 minutes. The system identifies viral, bacterial, and fungal threats at low concentrations in real-world environments such as residential buildings and healthcare facilities as well as in agricultural environments.
Biological Intelligence
Every Varro device is a node. Every breath, every air sample, every result — is added to a live biological signal network that gets smarter with every deployment. This enables real-time outbreak detection, population-level disease prevalence, and longitudinal respiratory trends no lab could ever produce. The diagnostic is how Varro enters a market. The intelligence network is how Varro creates unique value from it.