Company Announcements

Taiwanese company Crown Bioscience, whose CrownBio Life Science division sells reagents, completed an IPO by auction on the Taiwan Stock Exchange in November 2016.

In May, Meridian Bioscience announced that CEO John A. Kraeutler plans to retire once a successor is found. He will remain chairman.

Consumables for Gene­–based Analysis

Company Announcements

Transgenomic delisted from the NASDAQ in February. The company’s merger agreement (see IBO 10/15/16) is expected to close in the second quarter.

In March, pathogen-detection system developer LexaGene, which is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange–Venture Exchange, began trading on the US’s OTCQB Venture Market.

ThermaGenix, a provider of PCR reagents and assays, exclusively licensed certain technologies from Brandeis University that enhance detection and analysis of DNA and RNA. Starting in May, ThermaGenix will sell the Therma-Stop and Therma-Go products for enhanced sensitivity and accuracy of conventional PCR reactions.

ThermaGenix completed a $1.5 million Series A-1 financing round in April. The funding will be used to develop its PCR additive reagents, which eliminate all forms of mis-priming during and after PCR and RT-PCR.

In April, Lucigen entered into an agreement to be the exclusive distributor of Illumina’s Epicentre products.

In April, reagent manufacturer BioGx established a European operation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Becton, Dickinson licensed its stochastic labelling technology, utilizing molecular indexes, to Roche in April for multiple commercial applications.

ChromaCode announced in April that it raised $12 million in Series B funding, led by New Enterprise Associates. The funding will be used to develop its High-Definition PCR technology, which uses digital signal processing to improve molecular analysis.

Integrated DNA Technologies named LubioScience as a distributor for Switzerland.

In May, Oxford Genetics licensed access to ERS Genomics’ foundational intellectual property related to CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology for use in providing services, R&D, development of research tools and reagents, and for use of CRISPR-edited cell lines for GMP manufacturing of bio-therapeutics.

Product Introductions

Agdia introduced the AmplifyRP XRT+ kit for detection of Xylella fastiiosa, a causal agent of multiple crop diseases. The test is a real-time isothermal DNA amplification assay utilizing recombinase polymerase amplification technology.

Asuragen released in March the AmplideX PCR/CE TOMM40 Kit to advance studies of neurodegeneration, dementia progression and Alzheimer’s disease.

In March, Cellecta launched the Driver-Map Human Genome-Wide Gene Expression Profiling RT-PCR kit, a targeted RNA expression profiling assay designed to provide a molecular snapshot of all known 19,000 human protein–coding genes from complex samples starting with as little as 10 pg of total RNA.

In April, transOMIC introduced the transEDIT-dual CRISPR combinatorial gene knockout kits, targeting over 19,000 genes in the human genome. The vector system is engineered to express two different gRNAs targeting the same gene from one lentiviral vector.

Sales/Orders of Note

In April, Twist Bioscience announced that Microsoft will purchase 10 million strands of DNA for expanded digital data-storage research. The strands will be long-chain oligonucleotides used by researchers at Microsoft and the University of Washington to encode digital data at higher density. The companies initially announced an agreement in April 2016.

Consumables for Cell-based Analysis and Cell Culture

Company Announcements

Oxford Genetics signed in March a distribution agreement with CLS Cell Lines Service, giving its customers access to over 400 mammalian cell lines.

In April, Emulate announced a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement with the FDA Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine to evaluate Emulate’s Organs-on-Chips technology as a platform for toxicology testing to meet regulatory evaluation criteria for products.

Organovo named Taylor J. Crouch as CEO in April. Mr. Crouch was previously CEO of eStudySite. Former CEO Keith Murphy remains chairman.

In May, Organovo announced a collaboration with the University of Virginia to develop 3D bioprinted tissues for volumetric muscle loss injury.

In April, Cellular Dynamics (CDI) entered into a distribution agreement with STEMCELL Technologies, which will distribute CDI’s iCell catalog in North America, Europe and Singapore, with other countries under consideration.

Cellular Dynamics announced in April a collaboration agreement with the Harvard Stem Cell Institute (HSCI) designed to increase the availability of iPS cells and services to the HSCI network and research community at large.

In May, InSphero entered into a collaboration with the NIH’s National Center for Advanced Translational Sciences to identify anti-cancer agents with cytotoxic activity in 3D tumor models.

In May, PELOBiotech agreed to exclusively distribute ReachBio’s product lines to the life science research market in Europe. ReachBio’s main product lines are cryopreserved normal human primary cells derived from peripheral blood, cord blood and bone marrow, as well as ColonyGEL methylcelluose-based media for hematopoietic colony forming cell assays.

Product Introductions

STEMCELL Technologies in March introduced the CloneR, a novel medium formulation to aid researchers in their ability to successfully genome edit human PSCs.

In March, Lonza released a portfolio of fresh and cryopreserved human and animal hepatocytes for ADME-Tox testing, available via its acquisition of Triangle Research Laboratories (see IBO 7/15/16).

ATUM (formerly DNA2.0) launched in April cell-line development services, using its Leap-In Transposase genome engineering tools.

In April, Miltenyi Biotech released the MACS GMP T Cell TransAct, a ready-to-use reagent for efficient in vitro activation and expansion of human T cells. It is also available in research grade.

Corning Life Sciences introduced in April the Corning TransportoCell HEK293-derived ABC transporter membrane vesicles and Corning Supersomes Ultra Human Aldehyde Oxidase enzyme.

Consumables for Protein-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In April, BIOKÉ, a business unit of Cell Signaling Technology Europe, agreed to exclusively distribute Bethyl Laboratories’ antibody products in the BeNeLux countries. Bethyl Laboratories’s portfolio consists of over 7,500 catalog products.

SomaLogic named Alister W. (Al) Reynolds as CEO, replacing Byron Hewett. Mr. Reynolds has served on SomaLogic’s Board since 2003. He previously served in a variety of senior executive positions at Quest Diagnostics.

In April, SYGNIS announced the completion of a second OEM contract with Chinese proteomics firm TANON, granting rights to sell three additional product lines, including InstantBlue and ultrafast blotting buffers. Related annual revenues are expected to exceed €1 million ($1 million).

Product Introductions

Olink Proteomics introduced in February the Cardiometabolic, Cell Regulation, and Development biomarker panels. Each panel offers simultaneous analysis of 92 protein biomarkers using 1 µL of sample.

In April, Neogen released the Reveal for Pork lateral flow test for detecting raw pork in meat and environmental samples. It can detect as little as 0.5% raw pork in meat samples.

Romer Labs introduced in April the AgraQuant Aflatoxin M₁ High-Sensitivity ELISA kit, featuring a unified pipetting volume of 100 µL and no required agitation step.

In April, Waters’ VICAM business launched the Ochra-V AQUA lateral flow strip test for the detection of ochratoxin A in green coffee and wheat. Compared to traditional methods, it reduces testing time by half.

Bio-Rad Laboratories launched in April the StarBright Blue 700 fluorescent dye–labeled secondary antibodies for use in western blotting with a two- to fourfold lower limit of detection than IR800-labeled antibodies. The company also released the hFAB Rhodamine Anti-Housekeeping Protein Primary Antibodies for one-step detection of housekeeping proteins using western blots.

In May, Bio-Rad Laboratories introduced the Bio-Plex Pro Human Apolipoprotein Panel, a 10-plex panel for detecting and quantifying key human apolipoproteins associated with cardiovascular disease.

In April, Tocris Bioscience, a Bio-Techne company, launched Janelia Fluor dyes for advanced imaging techniques. The technology was licensed from Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The range comprises Janelia Fluor dyes JF646 and JF549 and photoactivatable derivatives of these reagents.

In April, Genovis launched GlyCLICK, which combines its GlycINATOR enzyme with Life Technologies’ SiteClick technology. GlyCLICK is a platform for labeling antibodies at the same site each time.

Genovis introduced in May the FabALACTICA enzyme for antibody analysis, with specific activity affecting human 1gG1 antibodies. It does not require additives.

Aushon BioSystems introduced in May the Ciraplex UlTRA Ultrasensitive Human 3-Plex IL-1ß, IL-6, IL-10 Multiplexed Assay, a plate-based protein assay to obtain low levels of detection for up to 3 biomarkers in 1 assay. Measurement is at single-digit fg/mL levels.

In May, Innova Biosciences introduced the FlexLISA kit for the development and optimization of sandwich ELISA assays. Researchers can covalently conjugate up to 3 capture and 3 detection antibodies.