On the cutting edge

 

“Thanks to their NanoAnalyzer, Exosomics will be able to supply the widest range of nano-flow cytometry measurements, which are in high demand across Europe and the rest of the world,” said Dr. Dimitri Aubert, managing director of NanoFCM. “We are delighted to recommend Exosomics to our close collaborators wishing to access the NanoAnalyzer platform on a punctual basis, or as part of a wider range of services that would accelerate internal research and development capabilities.”

 

Added Dr. Antonio Chiesi, CEO of Exosomics: “We believe that by implementing the nano-flow cytometry platform, we are once more leading the extracellular vesicles research field, and we can offer the widest range of services to biotech/pharma and academic groups. This instrument will also allow us to further develop our own liquid biopsy pipeline, which requires the highest level of accuracy and reproducibility.”

 

Below are some additional stories about notable tools and technologies in the pharma and life-sciences space.

 

 

GERMERING, Germany—Pharmaceutical, food and industrial laboratories can optimize their routine testing and quality control workflows with an enhanced high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system that delivers maximized instrument uptime and precision for any operator, regardless of experience. According to Thermo Fisher Scientific, its new Vanquish Core HPLC Systems expand on the award-winning performance of the Vanquish platform to provide a productivity-enhancing solution for routine laboratories. From automatically monitoring and determining solvent and waste levels with the Vanquish Solvent Monitor, to continuous background monitoring of system health, the Vanquish Core HPLC System reportedly maintains consistent throughput of dependable results.

 

“Routine analysis laboratories are expected to deliver precise results without delays. Chromatographers are often required to run methods from a diverse range of instrumentation, which presents a unique set of challenges, especially when integrating systems into an existing infrastructure,” said Linda De Jesus, vice president and general manager of high performance chromatography solutions at Thermo Fisher Scientific. “While the Vanquish Core HPLC System enables our customers to deliver the results demanded of them, it also drastically simplifies method transfer and offers easy integration with many leading chromatography data system software infrastructure.”

 

Noted Brian Alliston, a data integrity expert at Sterling Pharma Solutions: “In this industry, we are under constant pressure to analyze our samples in time without compromising results. We are always searching for new ways to improve efficiency and get the reliable data we need without putting additional burden on our team. The Vanquish Core HPLC System provides us with a single analytical solution that minimizes unexpected downtime, delivers results dependably and allows [us] to stay competitive by delivering quality products.”

 

 

SAN ANTONIO—A substrate that is said to deliver efficient isolation of stem cells from primary tissues, while promoting expansion without loss of potency, is now available from StemBioSys Inc.

 

CELLvo XF Matrix is reportedly the only commercially available substrate that recapitulates critical aspects of a cell’s native niche by leaving its extracellular matrix intact. Composed of more than 150 proteins that were secreted and assembled by bone marrow cells, this extracellular matrix provides a natural microenvironment in a culture dish with all the signals cells expect to receive in vivo. CELLvo XF Matrix is xeno-free, allowing for easy translation to clinical studies.

 

As StemBioSys explains, until now, the standard for the isolation and growth of human mesenchymal stem cells has been to extract them from their natural environment and plate them onto tissue culture-treated plastic (TCP). As a foreign environment, TCP induces a rapid response, including a shift in gene expression and uncontrolled differentiation. And, the company adds, coating cell culture surfaces with random extracellular matrix proteins fails to mimic the environment from which the cells were extracted, causing cells to respond to the foreign environment rather than experimental variables.

 

At StemBioSys, human cells were induced to secrete a matrix in cell culture dishes, which was then decellularized, leaving behind a cell-derived extracellular matrix for cell culture. This biomimetic substrate reportedly provides the cues cells expect, enabling healthy phenotypes and biologically relevant results from not only MSCs, but from a variety of other adherent cell types.

 

“Numerous articles on CELLvo technology have begun appearing in peer-reviewed scientific journals, and we’ve gotten the support of established scientific leaders. You get more cells and you get better cells when you work with our technology,” commented Bob Hutchens, StemBioSys’ president and CEO. “We have expanded the technology platform to encompass high-quality human cells and media products for success in the cell culture space.”

 

 

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—Pall Corp., a global leader in filtration, separation and purification, has introduced the Nucleic Acid Binding (NAB) device for applications requiring highly efficient nucleic acid isolation. The NAB Nanosep device provides increased binding capacity through its innovative dual-layer, silica-based quartz glass fiber membrane.

 

Using the multipurpose NAB Nanosep device, researchers can purify plasmid DNA, genomic DNA or total RNA from a variety of starting materials. The centrifugal device can recover from 10,000 to 50 base pairs, allowing users to analyze the widest range of nucleic acid fragments in a single spin device.

 

The NAB Nanosep device offers flexibility and rapid processing without sacrificing yield or quality of the nucleic acids, Pall says, and the device’s double-layer membrane can isolate nucleic acids with yields high enough to allow multiple downstream applications, saving time and money by eliminating the need to process additional samples. Ultrasonically welded seals prevent bypass contamination or seal failure. The device fits standard centrifuge rotors that accept 1.5 mL tubes.

 

The NAB Nanosep device is said to be ideal for applications in the following workflows: Purified plasmid DNA for restriction digest, cloning and Sanger sequencing; purified genomic DNA for qPCR and next-generation sequencing; and purified total RNA for RT-PCR and cDNA library construction.