Thermo Fisher Scientific and Advanced Electrophoresis Solutions (AES), specialists in protein imaging technologies, have agreed to combine essential protein separation techniques with mass spectrometry (MS) to advance therapeutic protein development through streamlined characterization.

Together, the companies will promote Thermo Fisher’s expertise as a leading provider of mass spectrometry technology for biopharma and proteomics applications, and AES’ ability to provide high performing whole column imaging detection capillary electrophoresis systems for protein separation, quantification and characterization. The companies will highlight the strengths of their technologies when coupled for protein analysis to provide laboratories with new and advanced biopharmaceutical capabilities that will enable greater insight into results generated by Imaged Capillary Isoelectric Focusing (iCIEF) protein separation. This will be of particular benefit to scientists working in the areas of biopharma, clinical, food analysis and academia.

“Protein separation, purification and analysis are crucial components in biotherapeutic development, but the process can be complex and challenging,” said Eric Grumbach, director, pharma/biopharma, chromatography and mass spectrometry, Thermo Fisher Scientific. “While mass spectrometry does provide high-sensitivity and high-resolution protein mass information, there are cases where insight from a different angle is required. Through this agreement we will pair our technology with more widely used and essential separation tools previously not routinely coupled to MS to make protein variant identification easier and more accurate to advance high-quality information and scientific knowledge.”

Tiemin Huang, CEO, AES, said: “There is a growing demand for proteomics and protein characterization, driven by the rise of personalized medicine, so it’s important that the best combination of tools are available to progress our understanding and research in this important field. By working side-by-side with Thermo Fisher to combine high resolution accurate mass-mass spectrometry (HRAM-MS) with alternative protein separation techniques, we will support our customers to achieve more precise analyses that will play a significant role in the continued development of effective therapeutics.”

INTEGRA Biosciences has made significant progress towards its goal of minimizing its ecological footprint with the installation of new photovoltaic systems at the company’s US facilities in Hudson, NH. These systems will provide 77 percent of the total energy requirement for both the company’s US headquarters and production centre, saving as much CO₂ as 2900 cars or 2300 single-family homes produce in the USA each year.

INTEGRA first introduced photovoltaic systems at its global headquarters in Zizers, Switzerland, in 2019. Combined with extensive use of Swiss hydropower, this ensures that the Zizers site – including heating and cooling – is run entirely with renewable energy. Expanding this approach to its US facilities, INTEGRA has now completed the installation of almost 1500 panels with double-sided solar cells on the roofs of its two buildings in Hudson. Capable of producing 817,000 kWh per year, they are expected to produce more than 19 million kWh over their service life.

This latest step is part of the company’s overall commitment to sustainability, which also includes, promoting the recycling of single-use consumables, encouraging employees to use sustainable forms of transport wherever possible, and using sustainable energy supplies.

Ursula Leuthold, INTEGRA’s dedicated sustainability coordinator, commented: “We constantly review our processes to make them more environmentally friendly. By commissioning these new solar power systems in the USA, we have now reached our next important milestone towards sustainability.”

Takara Bio Europe AB (TBEAB) and PanCryos have reached a licensing agreement surrounding TBEAB’s clinical-grade human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines. PanCryos has established a simplified and effective method to generate stem cell-derived, glucoseresponsive beta cells and is one of several customers in TBEAB’s new out-licensing programme.

Phico Therapeutics, a biotechnology company developing engineered phage technology as the basis of a new generation of antibiotics to overcome antibacterial resistance, has been awarded a grant of up to US$18.2 million from Combating Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria Biopharmaceutical Accelerator (CARB-X), a global non-profit partnership dedicated to accelerating antibacterial research.