Nucleic Acid–based

Company News

JN Medsys named in January Research Biolabs as the distributor for its Clarity digital PCR system in Singapore and Malaysia.

Circulomics announced in February a $1.5 million Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grant from the NIH/National Institute of General Medical Sciences to develop a single-molecule platform for DNA/RNA sample-quality analysis based on its PicoSep technology. Sizing occurs through a hydrodynamic mechanism based on the flow behavior of DNA in small buffer-filled microcapillaries. The first products to be developed will be kits for RNA/DNA integrity analysis and high–molecular weight DNA sizing. The products are an alternative to CE.

In February, PCR firm InstantLabs Medical announced that Angeon Group has taken a controlling interest in the company and that Angeon CEO Joseph E. Gargan was named CEO. In connection with the changes, the company’s name was changed to InstantLabs.

Product Introductions

Thermo Fisher Scientific launched in March the Applied Biosystems QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR System for Human Identification, designed to deliver efficient performance with a smaller footprint and lower annual maintenance costs.

In March, NanoString Technologies introduced the nCounter Low RNA Input Kit for sample inputs from 1–10 ng, utilizing Multiplexed Target Enrichment; the nCounter Vantage 3D RNA MAPK-P13K Pathways Panel, a curated gene set measuring transcriptional activity of the MAPK and PI13K pathways; and the nCounter Myeloid Innate Immunity Panels for gene expression profiling of human or mouse RNA.

In April, Bionano Genomics released for its Saphyr systems the Bionano Access 1.0, which includes Bionano Solve 3.0, software tool, as a free download. Bionano Access centralizes all software tools required to generate, edit, analyze and visualize Bionano maps, and comes with a variant annotation pipeline. Bionano Solve 3.0 assembly pipeline allows users to do structural variaion analysis or hybrid scaffolding.

Cell-based

Company News

AcouSort, a Swedish developer of acoustophoresis technology for separating, enriching and cleaning cells  and other particles for bioanalysis, listed its shares on Sweden’s AktieTorget trading platform in January.

In January, flow cytometry firm Cytek Biosciences completed a $12 million Series B financing round.  It previously completed a $12.3 million Series A financing round.

In February, MIMETAS and Molecular Devices announced a combined marketing effort for their respective OrganoPlate organ-on-a-chip platform and ImageXpress Micro Confocal high-content imaging system.

Berkeley Lights in March named Eric D. Hobbs, PhD, senior vice president of Operations and Consumables, as CEO and a Board member. Former CEO Igor Khandros, PhD, remains on the Board.

BIOKÉ, a business unit of Cell Signaling Technology Europe, announced in March it will exclusively distribute ACEA Biosciences‘ xCELLigence Cell Analyzer in Benelux countries.

In April, Globes reported that MRI company Aspect Imaging closed a $30 million funding round. In total, the company has raised $150 million.

Product Introductions

MR Solutions launched in March the 9.4 T cryogen-free preclinical scanners for the cardiovascular sector. It can incorporate PET and SPECT capabilities.

NanoString Technologies introduced in March the Intracellular Compatible Universal Cell Capture Kit, which enables the nCounter Vantage 3D RNA:Protein Immune Cell Signaling Assay with as few as 25,000 cells for expression analysis of 770 RNA and 26 key intracellular proteins.

In March, Cytek Biosciences launched the compact DxP Athena flow cytometry system, designed to make the benefits of flow cytometry more readily available to a larger number of researchers. It features multiple configurations of up to 3 lasers and 13 colors, as well as a 96-well plate loader option.

IntelliCyt, a Sartorius company, released in March the Cy-Clone Plus assay system for ranking and selection of clones for cell line development using its iQue Screener PLUS platform.

In April, GE Healthcare Life Sciences launched the IN Cell Analyzer 6500HS, its third generation laser-based confocal imaging system for high-content assays, featuring increased throughput. The company also introduced the IN Cell Analyzer 2500HS, a wide-field high-content imaging system, equipped with deconvolution. Also released was the Carta image analysis software for the IN Cell Analyzer systems, incorporating advanced segmentation algorithms designed to reliably extract information needed for downstream phenotypic analysis without the need for complex pre- and post-image processing operations.

Solentim introduced in April the VIPS (Validated In-situ Plate Seeding) single-cell dispensing system for microplates, designed for use in generating clonally derived cell lines. Its SMART LD technology images a well immediately after a cell dispensing event and automatically confirms whether a single cell was dispensed.

Protein-based

Company News

In April, InDevR announced an exclusives sales, marketing and customer support agreement with I&L Biosystems for Western Europe.

Gyros Protein Technologies announced in April it will exclusively distribute Luxembourg Bio Technologies’ PyOxim and K-Oxyma coupling agents in North America and nonexclusively globally, and on a nonexclusive basis in all regions, HDMA. The reagents will be sold as part of Gyros’s PurePep brand.

Product Introductions

In February, Creoptix Sensors announced the Creoptix Wavedelta system for label-free kinetics analysis, featuring four parallel flow channels and an increased temperature range.

In April, Gyros Protein Technologies launched the Gyrolab Generic PK Kit for use with its Gyrolab xP and XPlore systems. The multi-species kit is designed for pharmacokinetic studies. Results are generated in one hour.

Pall ForteBio introduced in April the Octen RED96e instrument for label-free biomolecular interaction analysis. Compared to previous models, it features enhanced unattended throughput, assay and sample versatility. The 8-channel platform performance quantification of 96 samples in 32 minutes and kinetic screening of 64 samples in 1.5 hours.