General Life Science Consumables

Company Announcements

In September, Vector Laboratories, a Maravai LifeSciences company, named NeoBioscience as an exclusive distributor for China.

Applied StemCell announced a new division, AccuRef Diagnostics, focused on advancing molecular diagnostics through reference standards.

In December, ProMab Biotechnologies, a manufacturer of monoclonal antibodies and immunotherapy-related products and services, acquired the One World Lab (OWL) transparency-based marketplace for antibodies. OWL will not be operational, but it will be used to expand ProMab Biotechnologies’ products and services.

Products Introductions

In November, 3dbiosurfaces and STRATEC Consumables debuted the 3D NS-NC slide microarray substrate for both DNA and RNA, as well as protein microarrays at attractive prices.

Vector Laboratories released in November the TrueVIEW Autofluorescence Quenching Kit for removing unwanted fluorescence for FFPE tissue samples, blood cells and structural elements such as collagen and elastin. It requires five minutes for incubation, and does not require ethanol steps and dilution.

Gene-based Consumables

Company Announcements

In November, Synbio Technologies and GSL Biotech entered into an agreement, allowing users of GSL Biotech’s “SnapGene” software to order constructs directly from Synbio Technologies after having designed them in “SnapGene.”

Twist Bioscience announced in November that it has licensed Oxford Genetics’ SnapFast technology platform to provide a broad range of application-specific expression vectors that Twist Bioscience will use to clone synthesized DNA for its customer base.

In November, New England Biolabs (NEB) and CasZyme entered into a multiyear collaboration to identify and commercialize CRISPR-Cas nucleases. NEB will manufacture and sell the nucleases.

In December, Canon BioMedical named BIOZOL Diagnostica Vertrieb as a distributor for Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

Horizon Discovery announced in December an extension of its pre-existing license to ERS Genomics’ CRISPR gene editing technology, allowing it to expand its license coverage. The ERS Genomics’ patent for this technology was granted on December 1.

In December, Copenhagen Center for Glycomics (CCG) and Desktop Genetics announced a collaboration to develop the next generation of CRISPR analysis. The product is designed to provide a deeper understanding of a novel method of identifying nuclease-generated mutations, Indel Detection by Amplicon Analysis (IDAA), developed by the lab of Dr. Eric Paul Bennett. The method is currently used by CCG and its spin-out company, Glycodisplay. IDAA reduces the workload of cell line editing by facilitating the initial screening of newly generated nuclease reagents, as well as the subsequent generation of edited cell pools or clonal cell lines.

Contrast manufacturer Aleveron announced in December a license agreement to manufacture and distribute a GMP version of Integrated DNA Technologies’ S. pyogenese Cas 9 variant, which is patented by Integrated DNA Technologies. The agreement expands the companies’ partnership. The research grade of the product is available this month, with the clinical grade to become available in the fourth quarter of 2018.

Merck Life Sciences announced in December that Singapore has granted its patent application for CRISPR technology, the fourth such patent allowance. The technology covers successful integration of an external DNA sequence into the chromosome of eukaryotic cells using CRISPR.

Product Introductions

Synthego launched in October the CRISPRevolution Gene Knockout Kit, calling it the first guaranteed CRISPR gene editing solution by offering a money-backed guarantee on success with high editing efficiencies in any human cell type.

In November, TwistDx introduced the TwistAmp range of liquid-format Recombinase Polymerase Amplification (RPA) kits. An alternative to PCR, the RPA isothermal DNA/RNA amplification technology produces results typically within 3–10 minutes.

Desktop Genetics released in November the DESKGEN Series CRISPR Libraries consisting of six CRISPR library products, each of which can be tailored to an investigator’s list of genomic targets using any delivery method. Each product addresses a particular experimental application of the genome editing technology. The company designs and manufactures kits based on a specific customer’s list of targets.

In November, Canopy Biosciences debuted the CRISPR Complete Gene Editing Kits, containing everything a researcher needs to conduct a CRISPR experiment in a single kit. Pricing starts at $900 for a gene knockout kit.

Horizon Discovery, through its acquisition of Dharmacon (see IBO 7/31/17), introduced in November the latest addition to its Edit-R portfolio for CRISPR activation. The company calls the new offering the first-to-market reagents enabling native gene overexpression for meaningful gain-of-function studies. The two-component system is available in lentiviral and synthetic formats, and is amenable to arrayed studies.

In November, Canon BioMedical released PCR-based Novallele assays to accurately determine SMN1 and SMN2 copy number.

Thermo Fisher Scientific expanded in November its Invitrogen TrueEdit tool kit, introducing the Invitrogen TrueCut Cas9 Protein v2, a recombinant Streptococcus pyogenes Cas9 protein for genome editing with CRISPR technology. The company also released the ready-to-transfect Invitrogen TrueGuide Synthetic gRNAs.

In December, ATCC and the Association of Biomolecular Research Facilities Metagenomics Research Group launched three new microbiome reference standards comprising genomic DNA prepared from microorganisms prevalent in extreme environments.

INSCRIPTA (formerly Muse Biotechnology) introduced in December the MAD7 CRISPR enzyme, available free of charge for researchers. For other uses, the charge is a low, single-digit royalty. INSCRIPTA is developing a broad family of CRISPR enzymes and gene editing technologies.

In December, ArcticZymes released the IsoPol SD+ and IsoPol BST+ low-temperature isothermal polymerases, which each feature stronger strand displacement.

Sales/Orders of Note

In December, Juno Therapeutics entered into a seven-year agreement with Thermo Fisher Scientific to use Thermo Fisher’s Cell Therapy Systems (CTS) activation reagents in the manufacturing of its CAR T therapies. Juno Therapeutics will use Thermo Fisher’s CTS Dynabeads CD3/CD28 magnetic beads.

Cell-based Consumables

Company Announcements

CellSystems and ATERA announced in September an expansion of their collaboration to comarket ATERA’s “on-demand” 3D-tissue model R&D and specialized contract research services.

In October, InSphero and Charles River Laboratories announced a partnership through which Charles River Laboratories will license its collection of Patient-Derived Xenograph (PDX) tumors to InSphero, as well as use InSphero’s 3D cell culture technology as part of its preclinical services.

Cellesce announced in November the launch of the company. The firm provides colorectal organoids, ethically derived from colorectal cancer patients. The initial offering is 10 colorectal cancer organoid lines.

In November, Organovo announced a collaboration with Viscient Biosciences to develop a custom research platform for studying liver disease.

In December, StemBioSys entered into an agreement with Caltag Medsystems to distribute and market StemBioSys products in the EU. Initially, the agreement covers StemBioSys’ cell expansion products.

MilliporeSigma has entered into an exclusive distribution agreement for Avanti Polar Lipids’ research lipid portfolio outside the US. Avanti Polar Lipids offers approximately two thousand products.

Product Introductions

InVitria, a provider of animal-free cell cultural media supplements and reagents launched a media-formulation service in November.

In November, Lonza Walkersville introduced pooled human liver microsomes for in vitro ChYtochrom P450 (CYP) phenotyping, which are a new Silensomes Human Liver Microsomes offering. The products are the result of Lonza’s recent agreement with Biopredic.

ATCC released in November a new in vitro model system for a key mechanism of invasion and metastasis in lung cancer. This product is the first in the launch of a series of novel in vitro systems that employ gene-edited epithelial-mesenchymal transition reporter cell lines to address specific disease and resistance mechanisms in cancer.

ibidi introduced the µ-Dish^{35 mm} Quad, a four-compartment cell culture dish that can be used for simultaneous assays.

Protein-based Consumables

Company Announcements

In November, Genovis signed an agreement with Chinese distributor Shanghai Titan Scientific. Shanghai Titan Scientific has sales of over CNY 600 million ($90 million).

In December, Genovis named Allianz Bioinnovation as a distributor for India.

Sygnis’ Innova Biosciences brand partnered in November with Abingdon Health to provide full lateral flow assay development services. The agreement also established Innova Biosciences as the preferred colloidal gold supplier to Abingdon.

In November, Sygnis signed a supply agreement with US Biological for its Innova Lightning-Link technology for antibody labelling.

In November, Base Pair Biotechnologies completed a $3.2 million Series A-3 financing and the opening of its new 5,000 ft² (464.5 m²) lab and office in Pearland, Texas. Base Pair Biotechnologies provides custom aptamer discovery and development services, as well as a small line of catalog aptamers.

 Product Introductions

In October, Sygnis launched its Innova Biosciences Universal Lateral Flow Assay kit for simplified and accelerated assay development.

Mercodia and Quansys Biosciences released in October the AKURIO Islet Hormones multiplex assay, which measures four hormones in pancreatic research.

In November, Promega announced the launch of the NanoBRET Target Engagement Intracellular Kinase Assay, calling it the first assay to quantify inhibitor drug binding to kinase proteins inside live human cells.

Olink Proteomics introduced in December the Olink Mouse Exploratory panel for simultaneous analysis of 92 protein biomarkers, using 1 µL of biological sample. The assays are based on the company’s Proximity Extension Assay.