Sequenom and QIAGEN GmbH entered into a strategic collaboration to jointly develop a preanalytical solution for small molecule (fetal) DNA enrichment for prenatal diagnostics. Sequenom will retain exclusive distribution rights to the technology for enriching short nucleic acids. In February, Sequenom named Steven Owings to the newly created position of vice president of Commercial Development, Prenatal Diagnostics. He previously held various positions at Roche Diagnostic Systems. Sequenom acquired exclusive rights in territories, including the US, Europe and Japan, and nonexclusive rights in China to noninvasive prenatal diagnostic intellectual property from the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Prosolia will develop models of its Omni Spray Ion Source for desorption electrospray ionization that are compatible with Waters’s MS systems, including, initially, the LCT Premier XE. Applied Biosystems/MDS Sciex are collaborating with Sound Analytics and Pfizer to develop software applications for early ADME analysis. In March, materials discovery firm Ilika Technologies acquired the assets of Achyra Developments, the developer of a MS technology based on ion acceleration to a constant velocity. Bruker Daltonics entered into a broad R&D collaboration and distribution agreement for Nanosys’s matrix-free target plates (Capture and Analyze NALDI chips) for use primarily with its FLEX series of laser desorption ionization (LDI) TOF MS. Nanosys will manufacture and exclusively supply NALDI chips for Bruker LDI-TOF systems and Bruker will market and distribute them worldwide. Spark Holland NV and Nanoliter entered into a development partnership for micro/nano fraction collection for capillary LC separations using Spark’s ALIAS autosampler with the aim of decoupling of LC from electrospray ionization-MS analysis in proteomics research. The product will be available for OEM in 2008.