Company Announcements

In January, Singulex entered into a strategic collaboration with QIAGEN for the development of companion diagnostics. QIAGEN will have access to Singulex’s Single Molecule Counting immunodiagnostic platform and its CLIA-licensed lab.

Roka Bioscience announced in January the appointment of Mary Duseau as president and CEO. Previously, she served as senior vice president and COO. Former President and CEO Paul Thomas now serves as chairman.

Immunoassay platform company Adarza Biosystems closed a $17 million Series C financing in January, led by 3×5 RiverVest Fund II. The company also announced the appointment of Bryan Witherbee as president, replacing retiring CEO Dr. Rand Henke. Mr. Witherbee most recently served as scientific leader within the Genomics Division at Becton, Dickinson.

In January, Sharp Edge Labs and Cell Guidance Systems entered into an agreement to develop and market products for exosome research. Sharp Edge Labs will make its biosensor technology available to Cell Guidance Systems for use in its exosome detection platform.

Bruker announced in January a multiyear licensing agreement with iTomography for software for performing CT imaging using the theoretically exact image-reconstruction algorithm iTomo. Exact helical reconstruction will be available on a number of SkyScan instruments from Bruker microCT.

In February, Scientific Digital Imaging announced the retirement of Board member Jeremy Gibbs, effective April 30, and the appointment of Isabel Napper, previously a partner at Mills & Reeve, to the Board.

Silicon Kinetics, a provider of MIK-MS (Molecular Interaction Kinetics­–Mass Spectrometry) technology, announced in February collaborations with application development firm Biosys Technologies, as well as Tokyo University and St. Marianna University, School of Medicine.

In March, Biolog appointed MediLoc Laborsysteme as a distributor for Germany and Austria.

Product Introductions

In February, Bio-Rad Laboratories launched the Bio-Plex Pro Mouse Chemokine Panel, a magnetic bead­–based multiplex immunoassay. Up to 33 biologically relevant mouse chemokines and cytokines can be detected in a single run. It is designed for use with Bio-Rad’s Bio-Plex 200, Bio-Plex 3D and Bio-Plex MAGPIX platforms.

Bionano Genomics introduced in February the Saphyr system for genome mapping and structural variation (SV) analysis. It combines NanoChannel arrays with optical genome mapping. Compared to the previous generation system, it requires fewer consumables, is higher throughput and easier to use, and offers higher data quality. It features the new high-throughput Saphyr Chip for performing deep heterozygous SV discovery in a single run.

IntegrenX released the RapidHIT EXT cartridge for its RapidHIT ID System for generating forensic DNA profiles.  The new cartridge is designed to work with extracted and quantifed samples, and can work with samples containing down to 50 pg of DNA.

FUJIFILM VisualSonics launched in February the Vevo LAZR-X, calling it the world’s only customizable imaging platform combining ultra-high-frequency ultrasound and photoacoustics for animal research applications. It features resolution down to 30 µm.

In February, Meso Scale Discovery introduced the V-PLEX immunoassays for the detection of biomarkers IL-17A, IL-21, IL-22, IL-23, IL-27, and MIP-3α in human cell culture supernatants, serum, plasma and urine. The company currently offers 46 human V-PLEX assays for its platforms.

Biosensing Instrument introduced in February the SPRm 200 SPR microscopy system, enabling label-free in vitro measurement of binding reactions and kinetics of individual cells in their native environment. The cells are grown on the sensor chip.

In March, Unchained Labs launched Uncle 2.0 software, adding two new applications, and offering differential scanning fluorimetry and label-free thermal melting in the same system.