Neuron 2024 Award for Bridging Science and Business Goes to SophoMer, s.r.o., a Startup from i&i Prague's Portfolio

A team of scientists from the Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry of the Czech Academy of Sciences (IMC CAS), together with representatives from the startup SophoMer s.r.o., the i&i Prague incubator, and ELISA development, received the prestigious Neuron 2024 Award for Bridging Science and Business. The awards ceremony took place on Sunday, January 19, at the National Museum in Prague in the presence of the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel.
What Is SophoMer™ and Why Is It Groundbreaking?
Reliable results in immunodiagnostic in vitro tests have traditionally relied on animal-derived proteins, such as bovine serum albumin (BSA). However, BSA does not meet the standards for Animal Component-Free (ACF) materials, which are required to contain no animal-origin components. Additionally, BSA exhibits inconsistent properties and poses a risk of pathogen transmission.
These issues are resolved with the synthetic molecule SophoMer™ F10. This polymeric material eliminates the risks associated with animal-derived products and enhances the stability and performance of diagnostic tests.
According to Tomáš Etrych, Head of the Biomedical Polymers Department at IMC CAS, “The collaboration between our team and SophoMer is highly beneficial for both parties, and we are thrilled that the Neuron Foundation has recognized this bridge between science and business. We believe this award will serve as an important stimulus for our future collaboration.”
From Lab to Market
SophoMer s.r.o. was founded in 2022 and signed a licensing agreement with IMC CAS, ELISA development, and i&i Prague in January 2023. Just two months later, the SophoMer™ F10 material was sent to customers for testing.
What sets SophoMer apart is its early focus on industrial applications, addressing a clear market need from the outset. “We are validating our first polymer by co-developing diagnostic kits with the Brno-based company BioVendor, where our product, SophoMer™ F10, is used as a standard component in the kits. These valuable experiences are then applied at i&i Prague when preparing incubation plans for other projects,” explains Jiří Moos, who, along with Jan Plicka, initiated the project.
Currently, four diagnostic kits are in development, with one set to hit the market soon. “In addition, we have already defined a new portfolio of innovative polymers on which we are working intensively,” notes Martin Burkhard, CEO of SophoMer s.r.o.
Awards Ceremony
The Neuron 2024 Award for Bridging Science and Business was received on behalf of IMC CAS by Dr. Tomáš Etrych, Head of the Biomedical Polymers Department, along with his colleagues Libor Kostka and Vladimír Šubr. SophoMer s.r.o. was represented by its CEO, Martin Burkhard, while i&i Prague was represented by its CEO, Jiří Moos, and ELISA development by Jan Plicka.