Carterra unveils industry’s first 48-channel HT-SPR platform for label-free biomolecular screening
Carterra Inc. has launched the Vega™ High-Throughput Surface Plasmon Resonance (HT-SPR) instrument, the first 48-channel SPR platform to reach the market. The system is designed to address a long-standing throughput bottleneck in label-free binding analysis, offering a 12-fold increase in throughput compared to the current market-leading system across small and large molecule discovery workflows.
Throughput and technical capability
The Vega platform is capable of screening more than 20,000 small molecule interactions per day in its initial software configurations, compared to the few thousand per day achievable with existing SPR systems. Each flow cell channel incorporates an internal reference and two binding locations, enabling researchers to run a broad range of label-free SPR applications within a single instrument. The design minimises sample consumption and supports multiple assay formats without requiring operator intervention between runs. An optional robotic module extends unattended operation to multiple days, further improving throughput and efficiency. Building on the enhanced optics, advanced microfluidics, and thermal control introduced with the Carterra Ultra® system in 2024, the Vega platform consolidates sensitivity and throughput into a single instrument. Carterra’s HT-SPR portfolio is already in use across all of the top 20 largest pharmaceutical companies, major contract research organisations (CROs), and biotechs worldwide.
Shifting SPR from secondary to primary screening
Traditionally, the throughput constraints of SPR systems required researchers to compromise on resolution in favour of speed, limiting the technique to secondary screening roles. The Vega platform is designed to remove that compromise, enabling primary screening of large compound libraries whilst retaining high-resolution binding data.
Josh Eckman, Co-Founder and CEO at Carterra, commented: “One of the greatest challenges scientists face is time: the time required to screen large libraries of small molecules and fragments to find a promising lead. This process has been limited by the capabilities of legacy SPR systems. From working closely with researchers, we understand this is a significant frustration.”
He added: “The Carterra Vega platform is a technological leap forward – a true step change. Faster hit discovery with 48 parallel channels means a quicker route to viable clinical candidates. Vega is the only platform of its kind, opening new possibilities for early discovery teams to reshape workflows and accelerate pipelines.”
Application in AI-driven drug discovery
The Vega platform is positioned to support AI-based drug discovery workflows, which are now embedded in the majority of pharmaceutical and biotech discovery programmes. The system’s capacity for generating high-resolution binding datasets at scale is intended to support algorithm training in contexts where no comparable label-free technology currently exists.
Development and early adoption
Development of the platform was carried out by Carterra scientists working alongside four Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs ) – three of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies and one of the largest CROs. Both large and small molecule applications were optimised, resulting in two application notes now available. The first commercial shipment is slated for Q1 2026 to one of the pharma KOLs involved in development validation, where it will be deployed immediately for small molecule discovery.
The Vega platform was launched at the Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening (SLAS) Conference and Exhibition, held 7–11 February 2026 in Boston, MA.
For more information, visit: https://carterra-bio.com/carterra-vega
Digital issue: Please click here for more information
