Linxens: a player in rapid diagnostic testing in France

by Christelle Robelin, Linxens Healthcare Marketing Director

Linxens, a global specialist in the manufacture of microconnectors and RFID antennas for smart cards is intensifying its efforts to expand its service offering for the connected medical solutions market. In February 2022, its production site in France obtained ISO 13485 - 2016 certification for the design, industrialization and manufacture of sub-components for medical devices. Linxens has successfully adapted its technologies for applications integrating biosensors, and consequently this site now manufactures components for rapid diagnostic tests. Linxens is focusing its development strategy in part on rapid tests, the use of which has been democratized and increased during the COVID 19 health crisis. 

Linxens develops and produces biosensor electrode systems on flexible substrates in reel-to-reel format that allows for superior reproducibility and yield.

These electrodes are a unique combination of different materials that ensure the physical and electrochemical performance of the system. The active part of the electrode on which the biochemical reagent is deposited is coated with gold to guarantee measurements with higher performances.  The gold is deposited by selective electroplating, the cost is controlled. The use of copper allows an improvement of the conductivity compared to other manufacturing techniques. 

The electrodes are custom made according to the customer's requirements.

Finally, body fluid such as blood or urine are driven from the inlay to the active part of the electrode through microfluidic channels. These microfluidic channels are created by etching a biocompatible film that is then laminated on top of the electrode. A biosensor can include several miniaturized electrodes to perform multiplexed analysis.

Today, Linxens is actively seeking partners with expertise in biochemical reagents to help them commercialize their rapid diagnostic test solution.