Company Announcements

Calbiotech, a provider of immunoassays, acquired Moduline Systems, a microplate-dispensing and vial-filling equipment manufacturer, in December 2013. The companies were previously partners.

In January, TTP Labtech acquired AssayMetrics’ propelled fluorescence-lifetime technology (FLT) assets. The acquisition enhances the use of TTP’s ameon FLT plate reader.

In March, Brooks Automation announced a $4 million equity investment in BioCision, a provider of biomaterial sample-handling and standardization products. The companies will work together to support the development of technologies to improve temperature control and standardization in the use of biomaterials across multiple industries.

Analytik Jena will merge its CyBio business with its Life Science business unit’s core business. CyBio products will continue to be marketed under the CyBio brand name. CyBio currently has 98 employees.

Product Introductions

BioDot launched in January the Biojet Elite dispensing technology, which enables quantitative drop dispensing “on the fly” with a dispensing range of 1.3 nL to 2 µL.

Promega launched the GloMax Discover integrated multimode detection plate reader system for cell and biochemical assays. It provides flexible use of filters for fluorescence intensity, BRET, FRET, filtered luminescence and UV-Vis absorbance measurements.

Hamilton Storage Technologies introduced the LabElite line of benchtop devices for automated sample decapping, recapping and identification. The three modules are the LabElite I.D. Capper for decapping/recapping and barcode reading in one device without any additional user interaction; the LabElite DeCapper for decapping and recapping tubes in 48-cryovial or 96-microtube racks; and the LabElite I.D. Reader, a high-speed 2-D barcode reader for tube racks.

Chromsystems and Hamilton Robotics launched what they call the first fully integrated CE-IVD sample preparation solution for LC/MS/MS diagnostics. It consists of Hamilton’s MassSTAR automated sample preparation system and two Chromsystems kits, MassChrom 25-OH-Vitamin D3/D2 for Vitamin D profiling and MassTox Immunosuppressants for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Cyclosporine A, Tacrolimus, Sirolimus and Everolimus.

In March, Dolomite introduced the Mito Dropix droplet-on-demand microfluidic system for easy generation of miniaturized droplet compartments. Developed under an exclusive sublicense with Drop-Tech, it can generate droplets of up to 24 different samples and store up to 1,000 droplets with sizes down to 50 nL.

BioTek Instruments introduced in April the RAD (random access dispense) technology for its MultiFlo FX Multi-Mode plate reader.