According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, there are more than 1.7 million Australians that live with the biomedical signs of chronic kidney disease. While not all will deteriorate to kidney failure, it leads to the 22,000 deaths annually which could be reduced from earlier detection and better management, an initiative launched by Archer Materials (ASX: AXE) which has launched new experiments with their graphene-based Biochip.

The semiconductor company has initiated experiments on its graphene field-effect transistor (gFET) sensors designed to detect potassium, a key element in diagnosing chronic kidney disease. This milestone represents a major step forward in Archer’s goal to revolutionise medical diagnostics where their Biochip has the potential to detect biological markers for thousands of diseases from a human sample.

Archer’s Biochip development centres on creating a lab-on-a-chip device that has the potential to detect and analyse liquid disease samples. Chronic kidney disease often necessitates regular monitoring of electrolytes like potassium to manage the disease effectively. Archer’s Biochip aims to simplify this process by enabling patients to monitor their condition from the comfort of their own homes, potentially reducing the need for frequent hospital visits.

Archer’s latest experiments involve testing its gFET sensors using graphene surfaces directly grown through a proprietary semiconductor process. This is a significant advancement over previous methods, which required transferring graphene from wafers – an approach that often resulted in the material degrading over time. In contrast, Archer’s directly grown graphene surfaces have shown stability, with no degradation even after two months of storage in regular air conditions.

This enhanced stability addresses a major challenge in the commercialisation of graphene-based sensors. Traditional graphene devices often degrade when exposed to air, rendering them unusable unless stored in highly controlled environments. Archer’s ability to overcome this hurdle offers a pathway to scalability of its Biochip technology, and manufacturability.

Graphene is the key element behind Archer’s Biochip, thanks to its unique properties. As a one-atom-thick layer of carbon, graphene is both incredibly strong and highly conductive. Its sensitivity to changes in electrical charge makes it an ideal material for detecting ions such as potassium. By decorating the graphene surface with selective molecules, Archer’s Biochip can bind with specific atoms or ions, enabling the precise detection of elements crucial to diagnosing and monitoring diseases.

The potential applications of this technology extend beyond chronic kidney disease. The development of a lab-on-a-chip device could be groundbreaking for medical professionals, offering the possibility of rapid, accurate diagnostics without the need for complex laboratory equipment. This could be particularly beneficial for rural or remote areas, where access to healthcare facilities is limited.

“Archer has reached an important step in the development of its Biochip acting as a lab-on-a-chip that detects and analyses liquid disease samples through the testing of its first disease, chronic kidney disease,” said Archer Executive Chairman, Greg English.

“The Biochip team has continued to build on work where the graphene surfaces do not suffer from degradation, which has brought Archer to this point, allowing it to test for potassium.

“This milestone is significant in Archer’s mission to help improve accessibility to healthcare through its Biochip by integrating it on mobile electronic devices.”

In the coming months, Archer plans to build on this initial success by producing demonstrator data that will further showcase the Biochip’s ability to detect relevant ions in liquid samples. This progress marks the first step in the development of a fully functional at-home monitoring system for patients with chronic kidney disease.