Chai Biotechnologies

Chai Biotechnologies (also known as Chai and Chai Bio) is a Santa Clara, CA based biotechnology company founded in 2013 building real-time PCR, qPCR and devices that detect pathogens, speciate meat and genotype DNA.

The company's molecular biological technology based devices include Open qPCR thermocycler and OpenPCR endpoint thermocyclers which are used for to detect any Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) or Ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence, pathogen, virus and can also perform genetic genotyping, enabling doctors to carry out DNA testing easily at a comparatively low cost.

Real-Time PCR is used in diagnostic applications ranging from food safety to viral diagnostics, as well as numerous research applications. Chai markets to brewing companies with their qPCR technology that can be used for detecting contamination quickly and earlier in the manufacturing process.

Chai Biotechnologies offers the Sahara Hot Start PCR Master Mix with high thermal stability and uses an aptamer-based hot start system to reduce non-specific amplification and primer dimers. The product also contains ingredients that inactivate PCR inhibitors to allow amplification from crude extracts of blood, food and beverages, plant and animal tissue and environmental and water samples.

Chai Bio will release a test that can be used with swabbing of areas like door handles and hard surfaces in the environment for SARS-CoV-2 testing. The test is intended for detection of the novel coronavirus in schools, senior centers, first responders, hackerspaces and community labs, public health departments and individuals. Instruments to run the test are currently available as the test would run on their open hardware Open qPCR machine based on BeagleBone Black. An open sourced RNA extraction control system and internal amplification system will be used to prepare the viral RNA from swabs for analysis. The BeagleBoard.org Foundation is working with Chai to make machines and test kits available in communities and makerspaces through board donations and has interest in promoting the technology around the world.