Life Science Instruments

General Life Science Instruments

Company Announcements

In July, the UK Centre for Mammalian Synthetic Biology announced the receipt of a £1 million ($1.3 million) award from Innovate UK to develop a desktop genome editing platform for cell lines. Partners in the project are Sphere Fluidics, Horizon Discovery and Twist Bioscience. The technology will also explore the delivery of synthetic transcription factors at single-cell level to program stem cell differentiation.

In August, BioTek Instruments opened a Middle Eastern office in Dubai, UAE. The office will serve the Middle East and North Africa.

NanoString Technologies announced in September that Anthem has issued a positive coverage decision for its Prosigna Breast Cancer Gene Signature Assay. According to the company, the assay is now covered by every national commercial plan in the US. The assay runs on the nCounter Dx Analysis System.

In September, PerkinElmer and China’s State Key Laboratory of Biochemical Engineering announced the opening of the Transitional Medical Engineering Demonstration Laboratory in Beijing, China. The lab includes an extensive array of PerkinElmer instrumentation and software, including the Opera Phenix and Operetta CLS high-content screening systems, and the EnVision multilabel plate reader.

Scientific Digital Imaging announced the resignation of Ann Simon from its Board, effective September 27.

Product Introductions

BioTek Instruments introduced in August the 800 TS Abosorbance Reader and ELx50 Washer, its next generation legacy reader and washer.  The 800 TS features temperature control and shaking to expand its applications to kinetic assays. The 50 TS Washer features easy programming.

Azure Biosystems launched in August the Sapphire Biomolecular Imager, a laser scanner offering fluorescent imaging in the NIR and visible wavelengths, as well as chemiluminescent imaging and scanning of storage phosphor screens. It enables resolution down to 10 µm. It replaces two or three separate instruments. Shipping began this month.

Quanterix announced in August that it plans to launch the SR-Plex multiplex digital biomarker detection benchtop instrument, based on the company’s Simoa single-molecule measurement technology. The platform will be capable of measuring both proteins and nucleic acids. It will be part of a complete solution that also includes a menu of more than 70 protein-detection assays as well as a new series of multiplex assays.

In August, BMG LABTEC released a gas ramping function for its CLARIOstar microplate reader, the CLARIOstar with Atmospheric Control Unit, calling it the first plate reader to rapidly return to physiological gas conditions upon active modification of oxygen and carbon dioxide tensions within the reader. The function mimics in vitro hypoxia and ischemia/reperfusion.

In September, Syngene debuted the G:BOX, a compact, upgradeable, multi-application system for all types of gel and Western blot imaging. It features a motorized stage and super-cooled camera.

Tecan launched in September the Spark-Stack integrated microplate stacker for its Spark multimode reader. It provides walkaway processing for up to 50 assay plates per run.

 

 

Cell-based Instruments

Company Announcements

Molecular imaging firm Sophie Biosciences announced in May plans to acquire Zevacor Pharma (formerly IBA Molecular North America) from Illinois Health and Science. Zevacor develops, manufactures and distributes PET radiopharmaceutical products and related services. The company completed the acquisition in September.

In August, RareCyte, a provider of tools and reagents for rare-cell detection and liquid biopsy, received a $30 million investment, led by 5AM Ventures. In conjunction with the funding, Joe Victor, 5AM venture partner, joined the company as CEO. Current CEO Ron Seubert transitioned to CTO.

LumaCyte, a provider of single-cell analysis and sorting instrumentation, joined the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals, which is sponsored by the US NIST, in September.

In September, Berkeley Lights, maker of a platform for single-cell tracking and monitoring, announced a strategic project with Bayer for cell line development, antibody discovery and research.

Molecular Devices announced an agreement in September to launch Cytena’s CloneSelect Single-Cell Printer in North America. The system allows automated isolation of single cells into standard well plates.

Cellular Dynamics, a FUJIFILM company, announced in September a joint marketing agreement with Nanion Technologies to offer their respective iPSC-derived tissues cells and CardioExcyte 96 instrument.

In September, IsoPlexis, which is developing a product to detect cellular responses at single-cell resolution, announced the final closing of a Series B round, raising $13.5 million.  The round was led by Spring Mountain Capital.

Product Introductions

In September, Yokogawa Electric debuted the CellVoyager CV8000, a high-throughput cytological discovery system with enhanced functions. New features include an improved incubation environment, the ability to accommodate 4 instead of 3 cameras, and the CellPathfinder software for analyzing images of unlabeled cells and 3D images of samples.

Beckman Coulter Life Sciences unveiled in September the CytoFLEX LX Blue-Red-Violet-Yellow-Green-Ultraviolet-Infrared series, calling it the first flow cytometer to offer excitation sources across the visible spectrum in a standard configuration. It features a new ultraviolet laser, opening up research into cell-cell interactions under both normal and abnormal conditions.

In September, PerkinElmer launched the IVIS Lumina S5 and Lumina X5 system for high-throughput, benchtop, 2D optical in vivo imaging systems. The systems provide bioluminescence and fluorescence imaging with spectral un-mixing. The Lumina X5 integrates x-ray imaging.

BD (Becton, Dickinson and company) introduced in September the BD Rhapsody single-cell analysis platform, which utilizes the company’s unique molecular index technology. It is designed for RNA expression analysis of tens of thousands of individual cells. The product was previously in limited commercial release under the name Resolve (see IBO 3/31/17). BD will offer application-specific targeted panels and enable customers to design their own custom, targeted panels. Also available will be a multiplexing kit. The platform is expected to expand to protein detection, with commercial availability in the first half of 2018.

In September, Axion Biosystems launched the next generation MEA (MicroElectrode Array) technology, the Maestro Pro and lower-cost Maestro Edge. The system captures live-cell activity from electroactive cells in real time. New features include one-button setup.

Miltenyi Biotec introduced in September the benchtop MACSQuant X flow cytometer, which can process 384-well plates in less than 60 minutes and 96-well plates in 15 minutes. It features 10 parameters and analyzes uptake volumes as small as 5 µL per sample.

In September, Lonza debuted the CytoSMART 2 System for live-cell imaging. It features an advanced optical system and more powerful camera unit compared to the previous generation instrument.

Sales/Order of Note

PerkinElmer announced in August that M2, a collaboration between Monash University and Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) to advance medical technologies, will utilize its cell::explorer robotic workstation for cell cultivation and phenotypic screening. The system has been installed at CSIRO’s Biomedical Materials Translational Facility.

 

Gene-based Instruments

Company Announcements

In July, Bio Molecular Systems, maker of the MIC qPCR Thermocycler, named Resnova as its exclusive distributor for Italy.

In August, Advanced Analytical, which makes CE–based solutions for nucleic acid analysis, opened an office in the UK, its third international office.

Hygiena announced in August the acquisition of Pruebas Microbiologicas Rapidas, its Mexico City­­–based distributor.

In September, Molecular Biology Systems announced new distributors for its NEXTGENPCR thermal cycler: PreMed Lab for China; Pronto Diagnostics for Israel; YBUX for the Czech Republic; Albiogen for the Russian Federation; Isogen for Benelux and Spain; and CAMLAB for the UK.

Product Introductions

In July, Fluidigm debuted the Advanta Immuno-Oncology Gene Expression Assay for interrogation of tumor immunology, designed for use with the Biomark HD system. It can detect 170 gene expression markers involved in checkpoint therapeutic response from FFPE and fresh frozen tumor samples. Available as a 2-panel set, the first panel includes 91 key markers of tumor immune response. The second panel contains 74 markets and 17 open assay inlets for customization. The panels can be purchased together or separately.

In August, Canon BioMedical introduced the Novallele HRM Analyzer, a free, web-based HRM (High Resolution Melt) analysis software for use with any thermocycler and different well-plate formats.

ExcitePCR announced that its FireflyDX-Portable pathogen detection system will be available in summer 2018, with the release of the FireflyDx-Handheld targeted for 2019.

Sales/Orders of Note

In August, SGI-DNA, a Synthetic Genomics company, announced that Belgian life science research institute VIB is the first institute in Europe to adopt its BioXp 3200 System as part of its Technology Watch Initiative.

 

Protein-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In August, CibusDx acquired Pronucleotein Biotechnologies, a developer of DNA aptamer assay technology, and licensed ApolloDx’s diagnostic platform to create a food safety testing platform for detecting pathogens onsite, anywhere in the supply chain, within 30 minutes. Product launch is expected in late spring 2018. 

InDevR announced in September an exclusive licensing agreement for monoclonal antibodies developed by the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. The license provides the company with a unique set of anti-neuraminidase monoclonal antibodies for rapid, subtype-specific quantification of neuraminidase by its VaxArray system.

Product Introductions

In August, Nanomedical Diagnostics introduced a new NHS Agile Biosensor Chip, which has pre-activated amine-linker chemistry that enables rapid immobilization of any molecule with a free amine group, allowing for flexible, fast kinetic characterization using a wide range of target classes. It is designed for use with the Agile R100 label-free personal assay system.

AYOXXA Biosystems released in September the LUNARIS system, a low-volume beads-on-a-chip multiplex protein analysis system. The system is comprised of a dedicated reader, automated analysis software and a portfolio of multiplex protein assay kits for the detection and quantification of soluble inflammation and immune-response markers.

In September, ProteinSimple, a Bio-Techne brand, expanded its Ella immunoassay platform with the launch of the 32 x 4 Simple Plex cartridge. The cartridge simultaneously measures up to 32 different samples from serum, plasma, cell culture supernatants and other bodily fluids against 4 different analytes of interest. This doubles the current sample throughput while maintaining a total immunoassay time of 85 minutes.

Sales/Orders of Note

In September, Aushon BioSystems announced that ABL, a biomedical contract research and manufacturing organization, has adopted its Cira platform for biomarker analysis.

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