Critical Need
Despite numerous technological advances, we still have limited understanding of how many diseases and pathogens are formed and evolve. Sophisticated tools, such as next-generation sequencing, have been developed to analyze changes to a cell’s DNA that occur in development. However, these tools require a base amount of DNA to produce a result, which means they are not suitable for detecting the single cells that can drive progression. Furthermore, existing tools require significant capital, and often have high operating expenses, making them inaccessible to many researchers and unsuitable for routine use.

Technology Vision
Hypermelt’s mission is to increase accessibility in research to drive innovation. Hypermelt offers a platform for preclinical research that provides low-cost sequence analysis of rare molecules to facilitate biomarker discovery. Hypermelt uses microfluidic technology to analyze DNA sequences at the single-molecule level. Using synthetic DNA, the company has demonstrated detection of as little as one copy of DNA in a background of 2 million molecules (0.00005 percent). Hypermelt works with strategic partners who seek sensitive, rapid, practical proof-of-concept biomarker testing solutions.

Potential for Impact
Hypermelt addresses the urgent need for sensitive molecular detection within complex samples by overcoming the limited sensitivity and resolution of current DNA methylation analysis tools. The unique microfluidic digital melt technology solves this by enabling single-molecule resolution of epigenetic heterogeneity, detecting DNA methylation biomarkers with >100x greater sensitivity than gold-standard methods. By analyzing intermolecular methylation variability at scale, the platform addresses the need for cost-effective, high-throughput screening in many applications, including pathogen detection, oncology intervention, and directed evolution.

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Hypermelt