I've just trawled through AXE biochip announcements back to 1st...

I've just trawled through AXE biochip announcements back to 1st December 2021. .... when it said - The Company has successfully developed its first biochemical reactions for the detection and quantification of nucleic acid sequences (both DNA and RNA), for potential use and application
at room temperature in its biochip technology. The nucleic acid sequences of interest could potentially be of viral, bacterial, or other microbial origin, which would allow for the development of Archer’s biochip towards tailored on-chip pathogen detection

which looks like they were testing for everything including the kitchen sink (FHC and those familiar with biology, please help with my generalisations), after which we haven't been told if these detection techniques worked and what was detected. Have I got this right so far?

same announcement also had this - Nucleic acid markers are useful for monitoring various states of health and disease; for the
identification of pathogens and their strains; and the diagnosis of many diseases. Commonly known techniques to analyse biological samples for known nucleic acids include polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The techniques developed by Archer could potentially apply in conjunction with, or without, the use of PCR.

From what I have read in Nature articles, the electrochemical signals needed to detect trace analytes in samples is notoriously difficult and needs the PCR process to amplify the low amounts of nucleic acids. The PCR process requires complex sample prep and therefore time and money. So AXE is/was hoping to disrupt by eliminating the PCR process for particular analyte detection and provide real time results.

Then in March 2023, AXE announces another disruptor - they can screen out some electrochemical charge in samples that interferes with signals needed to effectively detect the target. This issue is a major challenge in this field. So can AXE turn this breakthrough into a major feature.

as far as I can decipher, they want to disrupt on 2 fronts and that's what's going to be the value proposition for the biochip. We will have to wait for the announcement that tells us which virus/bacteria/pathogen(s) they have successfully detected in the lab, which ones are repeatable and reliable outside the lab,.... I just remembered a 3rd disruptor - the use of multiple fluidic channels on the platform to do several detections at once. This could be about saving time and resources again, which is always a good idea in commercial set ups.

I happen to think that biology is the hardest science, physics the easiest. Which is why the 12CQ seems that much easier to get to grips with and less can go wrong IMO. But if AXE can pull off these disruptors then they're on to something.