Spokane-based Allele Diagnostics, Photon Biosciences awarded grants

The Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County has awarded grants to two local life sciences startups to support growth and fund research.

Spokane-based genetic testing company Allele Diagnostics received a $500,000 Small Business Innovation Research Program matching grant this month to assist in developing genetic diagnostics asseys, according to a HSSA news release. 

“With the matching HSSA grant, Allele (Diagnostics) will have a final assay design, including probe design, software tools and implementation of laboratory methods to improve efficiency,” Marcelo Morales, Allele Diagnostics founder and CEO said in a statement. 

Allele was a prior recipient of a $221,840 SBIR grant and a $5,000 grant writing award.

Spokane-based Photon Biosciences LLC also received a $265,092 SBIR grant administered by the Health Sciences & Services Authority of Spokane County.

“The funding from HSSA will help us introduce our technology to solve other problems in the health care industry,” Chandima Bandaranayaka, Photon Biosciences CEO said in a statement. 

The grant will allow Photon Biosciences to hire more employees, develop its PBS Microarray program, apply for an additional SBIR grant and create a commercialization plan, according to the news release. 

Photon Biosciences received $135,000 in an earlier round of funding from HSSA.

HSSA has granted nearly $8 million in both research and Access to Care grants. It has created an estimated 500 jobs and more than $100 million in total economic activity, according to the release.