Multiplex electrochemical aptamer sensing

One strip.Many molecules.

Helping clinicians prevent kidney failure in cancer patients on high-dose chemotherapy.

Worn on the skin like a glucose monitor, CytoStrip tracks the chemotherapy drug and an early kidney-injury marker together, live, on one strip.

Why it matters Get in touch
Multiplex Aptamer-based Reagent-free Continuous Wireless
Why CytoStrip

High-dose chemotherapy saves lives. It can also shut down the kidneys.

Children and adults with leukemia, lymphoma and bone cancer receive high-dose methotrexate. If their kidneys clear it too slowly, the drug builds up, the kidneys are injured, and treatment is delayed. Today this is caught with occasional blood tests, often late.

TODAY LAB · 24 HLAB · 48 HLAB · 72 H kidney damage often seen late CYTOSTRIP early warning → clinicians act 0 h12 h24 h36 h48 h60 h72 h
● Methotrexate level   ● NGAL, early kidney-injury marker · illustrative
For cancer patients

Safer chemotherapy

Lower risk of kidney injury, fewer blood draws, and fewer delays to the next round of treatment.

For clinicians

Act before kidney failure

See drug clearance and kidney stress together, live. Adjust hydration, time leucovorin rescue or give the antidote early, while it still matters.

For hospitals

Fewer complications

Fewer costly complications to treat, and less lab and courier work, with a disposable strip.

CytoStrip vs CGM

Familiar like a glucose monitor. Built for what it can't measure.

Millions of people already wear continuous glucose monitors (CGMs). CytoStrip keeps that format and replaces the enzyme with DNA. The result is a multiplex electrochemical aptamer sensing platform.

CGMGlucose monitor
CytoStripMultiplex aptamer platform
Sensing element
Enzyme (glucose oxidase)
DNA aptamer, selected for each target
What it measures
Glucose (plus ketones in the newest system)
Drugs, proteins, hormones, metabolites
Sensors per strip
One analyte, or two in the newest system
Two independent sensors, one on each face
How it signals
Enzyme reaction consumes glucose
Reagent-free, reversible binding
New target needs
A matching enzyme, which most molecules lack
A new DNA sequence on the same device
First use
Diabetes
Chemotherapy safety: drug + kidney injury
What stays the sameWorn on the skinReads interstitial fluidContinuousWireless to phone
The device

A DNA switch on each face of one strip

A thin, double-sided strip sits in the interstitial fluid just under the skin. Each face carries its own DNA aptamer sensor. A small wireless reader on the skin turns their signals into live trends.

CytoStrip device schematic A wireless reader sits on the skin. A double-sided strip reaches into the interstitial fluid. Face A and Face B each carry DNA aptamers on gold electrodes; when the target molecule binds, the aptamer folds and its redox reporter moves close to the electrode, changing the current. Readings stream wirelessly to a phone as live trends. EPIDERMIS DERMIS · INTERSTITIAL FLUID CAPILLARY WIRELESS READER LIVE MTX NGAL LIVE TRENDS FACE A FACE B FACE A Methotrexate FACE B NGAL REDOX REPORTER DNA APTAMER GOLD ELECTRODE ANTIFOULING SHARED STRIP Target binds → aptamer folds → current changes
Schematic, not to scale. Animated: targets bind, aptamers fold, reporters move to the electrode.Swipe sideways to see the whole device ↔
Modular by design

Swap the DNA. Change the molecule.

Only the aptamer sequence is target-specific. Pick a receptor for each face and the same strip, electronics and readout measure something new.

Face A
Face B
Strip configured:Methotrexate + NGALFirst product · HD-MTX chemotherapy
01 · UNBOUND

The aptamer waits

The DNA strand is extended. Its redox reporter sits far from the gold, so electron transfer is slow.

02 · BOUND

The target folds it

When the target molecule binds, the aptamer folds and brings the reporter close to the electrode.

03 · READ OUT

Current becomes concentration

The current changes with binding. Binding reverses, so the same sensor reads again every few minutes.

Fixed core · never redesigned
One chassis for every product
  • Double-sided gold electrodes
  • Antifouling interface
  • Wireless electrochemical readout
  • Skin-worn strip format
Swappable · the only new part
The receptor layer
  • DNA aptamers for drugs, proteins, hormones, metabolites
  • No receptor yet? SELEX selects one
Beyond the first product

Move the measurement to the patient

Almost every drug and biomarker is still measured from a blood draw, sent to a lab and reported hours later. A trend shows what a single snapshot misses.

Today
Blood draw→Courier→Central lab→Result hours later
CytoStrip
On-body strip→Wireless→Live trend→Decision now
First product

Drug exposure and kidney response, on one time base

Methotrexate · drug exposureNGAL · kidney-injury signal
0 h6 h12 h18 h24 hRELATIVE SIGNALinjury thresholdpeak exposurekidney signal rises

Illustrative concept trajectories, not patient data.

Beyond the hospital

A platform for the molecules that matter

DrugsDose to the person, not the average
ProteinsEarly signs of injury and inflammation
HormonesStress, reproductive and metabolic health
MetabolitesNutrition, fitness and performance

Continuous glucose monitoring is a $13–16B market built on one molecule. Most other molecules still can't be tracked this way.

The team

Sensing scientists and engineers who have built this before

Academic depth in wearable electrochemistry, plus industry experience taking aptamer sensors toward products.

Aleksandar Karajić
10+ years
Originator ·
Sensing science

Aleksandar Karajić, PhD

Wyss Institute at Harvard

Wearable and point-of-care electrochemical biosensors. As Principal Scientist at Kilele Health, led industrial work on multi-week-stable aptamer sensors and antifouling interfaces in undiluted serum.

Industry R&DAptamer sensorsWearables
Atul Sharma
10+ years
Sensing science

Atul Sharma, PhD

Tufts University

Point-of-care and wearable sensor chemistry, with deep experience in analytical validation across biosensing platforms.

Sensor chemistryValidationPoint of care
Alden Tennison
Device engineering

Alden Tennison, MSc

Wyss Institute at Harvard

Leads device engineering: microfabrication, integration and the wearable form factor.

MicrofabricationIntegrationForm factor
Experience acrossWyss Institute at HarvardTuftsUC San DiegoUniv. of CincinnatiUniv. of BordeauxKilele Health
Contact

Let's talk

Tell us what you'd like to measure, or how you'd like to work with us. We reply personally.

  • Clinicians in oncology, nephrology and drug monitoring
  • Industry and research partners in aptamers and wearables
  • Investors and programs backing continuous molecular monitoring