Company Announcements

Sigma-Aldrich elected Dr. George M. Church to its Board in October. He is a professor of Genetics at the Harvard Medical School.

Sigma-Aldrich expanded its license with Sangamo BioSciences to include exclusive rights to develop and distribute zinc finger DNA binding protein-modified cell lines for commercial production of protein pharmaceuticals.

STEMCELL Technologies announced direct distribution in Spain.

In October, Celsis International de-listed from the London Stock Exchange.

In fiscal 2009 ended July 31, Enzo Biochem Life Sciences sales grew 39.9% to $50.0 million, including product revenue of $40.6 million, to make up 56% of total sales. Segment operating profit fell 49.8% to $1.7 million (see IBO 10/15/09).

Quansys Biosciences granted PBL InterferonSource rights to sell its Q-Plex multiplex array kits with its interferon reagents.

CellAura announced a development partnership with Cisbio Bioassays.

ZyGEM and Phthisis Diagnostics are developing products for the detection of infectious pathogens in complex samples.

EMD Chemicals and MitoSciences are codeveloping multiplex immunoassay products for the detection and profiling of mitochondrial toxicity and activity. EMD also gained exclusive rights to new monoclonal antibodies.

Product Introductions

BD Biosciences launched the BD Kaleidoscope reagent and dye expansion program with the release of nearly 200 fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies for flow cytometry.

Epigentek launched the SuperSense Methylated DNA Quantification Kit, which fluorometrically measures global DNA methylation shifts, and the EpiQuik DNA Methyltransferase Activity/Inhibition Assay Kit.

Cellectis bioresearch released the cGPS (cellular Genome Positioning System) CHI-K1 duo research kit.

MO BIO Laboratories launched LifeGuard Soil Preservation Solution for microbial RNA stabilization in soil samples upon collection.

Transparent introduced the Cell-able human hepatocyte array kit.

SwitchGear Genomics introduced SwitchGear pathway sets utilizing luciferase reporter vectors to quantify human promoter activity from complete set of genes.

PerkinElmer added seven LANCE Ultra assay products, bringing its portfolio for the detection and analysis of protein kinase activity to 310 assays.

Sigma-Aldrich launched the SAGEspeed program to develop custom human disease models in rodents using CompoZr Zinc Finger Nuclease gene-editing technology.