General Life Science Instrumentation

Company Announcements

In its 2016 10-K SEC filing, Luminex disclosed a total of 51 strategic partners with commercialized products utilizing xMAP technology that submitted royalties, 29 of which principally served the life science research market.

In May, NanoString Technologies appointed Elisha W. Finney, former executive vice president and CFO at Varian Medical Systems, to its Board.

Product Introductions

In May, Tecan introduced new options and configurations for its Infinite 200 PRO Series of multimode microplate readers. The 200 PRO Series is now available in 6 application-focused configurations, including 2 single and 4 multimode configurations for absorbance, luminescence and fluorescence detection.

PolyPico Technologies released the Acoustic Droplet Ejection–based PicoPRECISE, an ultra-low-volume dispensing instrument for applications such as drug discovery, POC diagnostics and stem cell printing. It provides pico- to nano-liter volume ranges.

Instruments for Nucleic Acid–based Analysis

Company Announcements

Molecular Diagnostics firm SpeeDx and Thermo Fisher Scientific announced in April an agreement under which SpeeDx will submit its ResistancePlus MG Test for FDA clearance upon validation for use with Thermo Fisher’s Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx Real-Time PCR System to detect the sexually transmitted infection M. genitalium.

In May, Seegene entered into a strategic collaboration relationship with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Seegene will file for FDA clearance of its Allplex diagnostic assay portfolio at the same time Thermo Fisher files for FDA clearance to run the assays on its QuantStudio 5 Real-Time PCR System. Seegene aims to submit 510(k) clearance by the end of 2018.

PositiveID announced in May the formation of a new subsidiary, ExcitePCR, to own and further develop its Firefly Dx real-time PCR breadboard prototype pathogen-detection system. The subsidiary was formed to provide greater flexibility for strategic partnerships and financing.

Product Introductions

Eppendorf announced in May the Mastercycler X50, which will be introduced worldwide in July. It features heating rates of 10°C/sec on average and the 2D-Gradient. It also features connectivity to Eppendorf’s VisioNize software for instrument monitoring (see Endpoint).

In May, Thermo Fisher Scientific launched the affordable and easy-to-use Applied Biosystems SeqStudio Genetic Analyzer, a CE-based system for Sanger sequencing and fragment analysis. It features an all-in-one cartridge that combines the capillary array, polymer reservoir and anode buffer. It allows sequencing and fragment analysis runs on the same plate with changing consumables. It will be available in the second half of the year.

In June, Bio-Rad Laboratories released the CFX Maestro Software for its CFX Real-Time Instruments, calling it the only real-time PCR instrument software that integrates statistical analysis, data visualization and publication-oriented graphics production in one platform.

Instruments for Cell-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In May, the EU-backed MetaCell project received €2.5 million ($2.8 million) in funding to develop a physiologically relevant cell-based assay platform for studying metabolism in preclinical drug discovery and development. The consortium members are Axiogenesis, BMG Labtech and Luxcel Biosciences.

ACEA Biosciences announced in June a collaboration with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center to evaluate a personalized ex vivo potency assay using cancer patients’ malignant pleural effusions and its xCELLigence Real-Time Cell Analysis instrument to monitor destruction of cancer cells by a patient’s own genetically modified CAR T cells.

FlowJo announced in June a strategic relationship with Becton, Dickinson. The companies will collaborate to offer the cloud-based FlowJo Envoy with the BD FACSymphony to enable researchers to improve their workflow, collaborations and data storage in the cloud, and share single-cell analysis data analysis in real time.

Also in June, FlowJo partnered with Cytapex Bioinformatics to provide bioinformatics consulting and services in combination with the FlowJo application. The companies will offer consulting services in flow cytometry data analysis, including the development of custom pipelines.

Product Introductions

Logos Biosystems released in May the new CELENA S Digital Imaging System for fluorescence, brightfield and phase-contrast imaging. It has an onstage incubator, as well as interchangeable objectives and LED filter cubes.

In May, ACEA Biosciences launched a multi-option optical configuration of its NovoCyte flow cytometer, which includes the new ACEA NovCyte 3005 three-laser system for detection of up to 17 parameters.

BioTek Instruments introduced in May the Cytation 1 Cell Imaging Multi-Mode Reader, an affordable automated digital quantitative microscopy system with multimode microplate detection. The digital microscopy mode includes fluorescence and high-contrast brightfield channels.

NanoCellect Biomedical announced in May the N1 Single Cell Dispenser for its WOLF Cell Sorter. The module will aid applications that require the sorting and dispensing of single cells in 96-well or 384-well plates. The dispenser utilizes disposable technology. The formal introduction is scheduled for later this year.

Beckman Coulter introduced in June the AQUIOS Designer Software for its ACQUIOS CL Flow Cytometer. The Software allows creation of customer-defined applications, in addition to the previously available predefined applications.

In May, Genedata released, as part of its Genedata Screener for Ion Channel Screening platform, a new solution for the automated analysis of automated patch clamp data. New features provide further in-depth characterization of compound effects on key ion channels. The solution was developed in collaboration with AstraZeneca.

Cytek Biosciences introduced in May the affordable Aurora flow cytometer, with capabilities for over 20 colors, using 3 excitation lasers and 50 channels.

Sales/Orders of Note

In May, Fluidigm announced that the UK Medical Research Council’s Consortium for Mass Cytometry, consisting of research institutions, has acquired seven Helios mass cytometry systems.

Berkeley Lights announced in May the purchase of an additional Beacon OptoFluidic Platform by Amgen. Amgen collaborated with Berkeley Lights to develop the technology.

Berkeley Lights announced in June the delivery of a Beacon OptoFluidic platform to GlaxoSmithKline for cell line development. The initial application will be to select clones based on optimal growth rates and monoclonal antibody selection.

In June, Phasefocus announced the purchase of its Livecyte system by the Francis Crick Institute for quantitative label-free live-cell analysis.

Instruments for Protein-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In March, RedShift BioAnalytics closed an $11.0 million Series C Preferred Stock financing. The financing was co-led by Waters and Technology Venture Partners. RedShift BioAnalytics’ instrument provides measurements of protein quantitation, structure, stability, aggregation and similarity.

Biotage announced in April that it won a 2011 patent dispute with CEM. Biotage had challenged the validity of claims in two patents filed by CEM in Europe and Japan relating to a method of microwave-assisted solid phase peptide synthesis. The Board of Appeals in Japan declared the broad claims invalid in 2016, and the European equivalent body revoked the CEM patent in 2016.

Product Introductions

In May, Syngene launched new options for its G:BOX automated multipurpose gel and blot imaging systems, including the option to add a full spectrum of blue, green, red and infra-red HI-LEDS and additional software features.

Syngene released in June the NuGenius+ gel imaging system, a cost effective system for generating images of stain-free protein gels, as well as DNA agarose and SDS-PAGE gels.

Gyros Protein Technologies introduced a new version of the Gyrolab Protein A Kit, featuring increased efficiency and throughput for quantification of residual Protein A ligands with 96 microstructures. The two ready-to-use versions, Native Protein A and MabSelect Sure, are designed for use with Gyrolab systems.

In May, GE Healthcare Life Sciences launched the Amersham Typhoon NIR Plus biomolecular imager for NIR multiplex detection. It features a 3-laser flexible configuration with 2 essential NIR channels, as well as a third visible laser channel. It can scan 9 microtiter plates simultaneously.