Company Announcements

Under a May collaboration agreement, Affymetrix’s QuantiGene ViewRNA In Situ Hybridization Tissue Assay will be automated on Leica Microsystem’s BOND RX staining platform for research applications.

In June, Affymetrix announced a research collaboration licensing agreement with Massachusetts General Hospital to codevelop new cancer biomarker tests using its QuantiGene ViewRNA Assay platform.

Affymetrix expanded in August its exclusive license agreement with Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics for branched DNA (bDNA) technology, allowing it to sell in situ QuantiGene ViewRNA products for in vitro diagnostics. Affymetrix plans to sell total solutions involving an assay menu of chromogenic-based applications of the bDNA technology.

ATCC announced in June an agreement with Life Technologies, allowing it to accept into its collections and distribute a range of green fluorescent protein–containing biological materials to distributors, non-commercial customers and government customers in the research field. The firm can also utilize them to develop new biological materials for the research field.

Genovis announced in June an exclusive distribution agreement with Sigma-Aldrich for Asia, Southeast Asia and South America.

Gen9, a provider of gene synthesis technology, named Kevin Munnelly president and CEO in July. Previously, he was general manager at Life Technologies’ qPCR business. Martin Goldberg, PhD, was named COO. Previously, he was senior vice president of R&D at Affymetrix.

In July, Life Technologies signed a collaborative partnership with the Structural Genomics Consortium and scientists at the Universities of Chicago and Toronto to generate a master set of quality epigenetic recombinant antibodies for use in disease-related research. The first 58 of the 200 highly specific antibodies are now available.

Myriad RBM granted in July Bio-Rad Laboratories exclusive distribution rights for research purposes to its quantitative multiplexed immunoassays.

In August, Stemgent acquired Asterand’s Human Tissue Business for $9 million.

Product Introductions

In June, Life Technologies introduced three next-generation GeneArt genetic engineering kits for mutagenesis, cloning and assembly, featuring the all-in-one enzyme/buffer mix and increased room temperature stability.

Transposagen Biopharmaceutical announced in July the availability of XTN site-specific nucleases (TALENs) targeting each gene in the human genome.

Bio-Rad Laboratories introduced in July new 34 Bio-Plex Pro cell signaling assays.

Bioo Scientific released in August the MaxSignal Carbendazim ELISA Test Kit.