Shimadzu, one of the world leaders in analytical instrumentation, has announced the release of the AOC-30 series of automatic sample injection systems for gas chromatographs.
Quantitative assessment of antibodies in Covid-19 is becoming increasingly important. It provides information on the actual spread of infection in the population and enables characterization of a vaccine-induced immune response.
Bio-Rad Laboratories has launched its Reliance SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Kit (IVD) for European markets after having met the CE-IVD mark requirements. The Reliance SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Kit is a real-time reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) test that can detect nucleic acid in SARS-CoV-2, the virus associated with COVID-19 disease. A version of the assay kit is also available in the United States under an U.S. FDA emergency use authorization (EUA).
The Reliance SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Kit (IVD) is designed for clinical diagnostic labs that conduct COVID-19 testing. The assay kit offers the qualitative detection of two separate target regions in the nucleocapsid gene (N1 and N2 regions) of SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal swab specimens from individuals suspected of being infected by COVID-19.
Because the test are designed to target the nucleocapsid gene, the assay’s performance is not affected by known coronavirus variants as determined by in-silico analysis. The assay kit contains Bio-Rad’s standard and negative molecular controls as well as assay reagents. It is validated to run on Bio-Rad’s CFX96 Dx RT-PCR system, as well as RT-PCR systems from other manufacturers.
“We are excited about the European launch of our SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Kit (IVD), a reliable, sensitive, and accurate solution for COVID-19 testing,” said Steven Blakely, Bio-Rad Global Director of Marketing, Life Science Group, Gene Expression. “Testing laboratories worldwide use Bio-Rad’s RT-PCR systems for the detection of SARS-CoV-2. The assay kit is the latest addition to our COVID-19 offering of research and testing products, reflecting our ongoing commitment to helping in the fight against COVID-19,” he said.
Anion dysregulation is seen in numerous diseases, from cystic fibrosis and chronic pain, to autism and cancer. Researchers at the University of Dallas are investigating anion transport in vivo, developing novel tools to help analyse the effects of both normal and aberrant anion regulation at the molecular level, and are using INTEGRA’s PIPETBOY acu 2 to streamline their cell culture workflows.
Whitney Ong, a joint chemistry graduate student in the Dodani and Smaldone labs at the university, explained: “My research focuses on the development of supramolecular-based sensors for anions, particularly for chloride. The reason we are especially interested in chloride is that it is the most abundant anion in the human body – serving all sorts of functions – and its dysregulation is implicated in diseases such as cystic fibrosis. We’re hoping that our chloride sensing platform could help in its detection, as well as in the diagnosis of a number of other diseases.”
Ong added: “We have three PIPETBOY pipette controllers and use them regularly for a variety of tasks during our cell culture set-up, for instance to make up large volumes of cell culture media, aliquoting and dispensing reagents such as media or antibiotics, resuspensions, as well as to mix different solutions. If we are working with volumes of liquids above 2 ml, we will always use the PIPETBOY; it’s much easier, safer and more efficient that pouring liquids between glass measuring cylinders, where there is a higher risk of spillages or not pouring out the desired volume. They fit into our workflows perfectly – everyone in the lab loves them.”
For more information visit: www.integra-biosciences.com
Shimadzu, one of the world leaders in analytical instrumentation, has released the TOC-1000e, the first analyzer in the eTOC series of on-line TOC analyzers designed for pure water applications. The eTOC series’ main focus is on miniaturization, high sensitivity and a mercury-free oxidation technique. The pioneering TOC-1000e system has the world’s smallest and lightest cabinet and provides high-sensitivity detection, making it ideal for fields requiring high-purity water applications. This covers manufacturing, including pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, food & beverages, chemistry and precision equipment.
Total organic carbon (TOC) analyzers are used to rapidly quantify organic substances in water, allowing decisive process intervention. Among many fields of application, they are used mainly for water quality control and environmental investigations. Shimadzu’s world-leading TOC analyzers are well-suited to laboratory and on-line analysis of environmental and waste water. The eTOC series will be Shimadzu’s first on-line TOC analyzer designed especially for pure water measurements.
The TOC-1000e provides enhanced robustness in the ultra-low measurement range. With its small footprint of less than A4 size, it can be installed flexibly – either as table-top, wall-mounted or pole-mounted.
Conventional TOC analyzers for pure water utilize mercury UV lamps as the light source within the instrument. To provide a more environmental-friendly alternative, the eTOC series is the first analyzer in the world to use an excimer (short for ‘excited dimer’) lamp rather than a mercury lamp.
The “Active-Path” flow line design maximizes lamp power by integrating the sample flow channel and the light source. This minimizes sample residue in the flow channel and eliminates interfering air layers, so high sensitivity is maintained over long-term use. This new design also contributes to making the eTOC series instruments small and light.
The TOC-1000e combines high-sensitivity and easy-to-use features benefiting effortless data management, efficiency and handling.
Some of the features include:
For more information, visit: https://www.shimadzu.eu/toc-analysis/etocseries
Vyon porous plastic discs and annular absorbers manufactured to extremely tight tolerances by Porvair Sciences offer cutting-edge filtration and separation of materials for healthcare, pharmaceutical and life science applications.
Drawing upon a wealth of knowledge in the manufacture of industry-leading porous plastics, combined with advanced materials expertise, Porvair Sciences has established a reputation for delivering outstanding hydrophilic components to OEM customers worldwide.
Employing precision moulding and die cutting processes, Porvair Sciences can efficiently convert hydrophilic Vyon® porous plastic into discs and annular shaped parts to tightly toleranced specifications. These versatile approaches enable Porvair to offer high performing, precisely manufactured products in diameters ranging from 3 mm to 1 metre using any of its hydrophilic Vyon materials options up to 4.75 mm thick.
Hydrophilically-treated Vyon materials have exceptional absorption and fluid transfer properties and therefore, can be implemented as an efficient absorber with its instantaneous wetting properties.
Due to the tortuous path of its porous structure, hydrophilic Vyon can efficiently filter and trap contaminants while allowing for effective delivery of drugs in various forms like solutions, suspensions and emulsions.
Hydrophilic Vyon has been tested to the most rigorous of USP classes and certified with a Class VI approval. Widely used in drug delivery and rapid diagnostic testing applications, its biocompatibility makes Vyon the ideal porous plastic material for healthcare, life science and pharmaceutical applications.
Manufactured in dedicated clean-rooms with mandated changeovers before new production cycles – AMSBIO introduces new pHelper-Kan plasmid DNA optimized for Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) manufacturing.
Adeno-associated virus is a non-enveloped virus that can be engineered to efficiently deliver DNA sequences of interest into target cells with a low immunogenicity. Because of these unique characteristics, AAV-mediated genome editing has emerged as a highly promising gene delivery method.
The robust virus packaging productivity of this pHelper-Kan plasmid has been tested in almost all AAV serotypes. pHelper-Kan is proven for use in daily AAV production, for both GMP grade and research grade batches.
Immediately available, premanufactured in stock, AMSBIO pHelper-Kan plasmid reduces the optimization work required to obtain high efficacy when producing viral vectors. The high reproducible quality of the pHelper-Kan plasmid DNA is maintained and verified by the company’s standardized manufacturing technology.
AMSBIO also provides a custom service to make ready-to-use AAV for any specific gene, shRNA or miRNA. Working closely with customers, AMSBIO will sub-clone your selected genes into their AAV expression vectors and produce expression AAV for each gene.
CN Bio’s PhysioMimix OOC multi-organ microphysiological system.
CN Bio, a leading developer of single and multi-organ microphysiological systems (MPS), otherwise known as organ-on-a-chip (OOC), has launched its new PhysioMimix™ OOC Multi-Organ MPS. The next-generation platform combines CN Bio’s in vitro 3D liver model, whose phenotype and functions mimic that in vivo, with a range of other organs to more accurately recapitulate the multi-organ and systemic effects observed in humans.
Demonstrating a key milestone in the Company’s mission to develop the most complete human ‘body-on-a-chip’ in the laboratory, the PhysioMimix OOC Multi-Organ MPS will provide advanced insights into the potential effects of novel therapeutics that were previously only achievable using animal models.
CN Bio’s Multi-Organ MPS enables researchers to generate sophisticated in vitro models that better represent human inter-organ crosstalk effects compared to single-organ MPS, or animal models. This system can be used to decrease the risk of clinical trial failures due to cross-species translational differences and can be used in the development of new human-specific modalities for which animal models are unsuited.
The Company’s advanced 3D liver model can be reliably and easily interconnected with other organs (such as gut, lung or kidney) to provide a human in vitro alternative to animal or in silico first pass metabolism studies (ADME), to elicit a deeper human-specific mechanistic understanding of disease states and to identify reactive metabolite-driven toxicity or multi-organ toxicity. Furthermore, in vitro to in vivo clinical predictions can be extrapolated using Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetics (PBPK) mathematical models, to increase the accuracy and precision of data translation. For existing PhysioMimix users, an upgrade path is available.
Prior to launch, the system has undergone extensive internal and external validation by the University of Pittsburgh, and by a major pharmaceutical company.
“The inherent biological differences of animal models with human physiology frequently result in the misrepresentation of pharmacological processes, contributing to the large proportion of new medicines that fail in clinical trials. Furthermore, in certain scenarios, animal models are unsuitable for efficacy and safety evaluation due to their genetic and immunological differences,” said Dr David Hughes, CEO, CN Bio.
“Our new multi-organ platform addresses the needs of a wider customer base, whilst providing the same ease-of-use, robustness, and reliability as the single-organ system which has been on the market since 2018. This launch extends CN Bio’s reach from world-leading provider of single-organ-on-a-chip technologies into multi-organ-on-a-chip, as we strive to expand the boundaries of humanized pre-clinical research and development.”
Professor Alan Wells, Professor of Pathology, Integrative Systems Biology Department, University of Pittsburgh, said: “The pathobiology of disease, even if limited to one organ, does not occur in isolation to the rest of the body. To understand how other events affect the pathology in question requires their constant communication. We are finding these networks key to tumour progression in metastatic sites, to address the Achilles heel of cancer therapy.”
IONTAS and FairJourney Biologics, leaders in the discovery and optimisation of fully human antibodies, have announced the identification of neutralizing antibodies, which bind to multiple emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. The results, generated from a combination of phage display technology and B-cell receptor repertoire sequencing of hospitalized COVID-19 patients, have identified potent neutralizing antibodies with distinct mechanisms of action. Based on this approach, the Company has developed a panel of therapeutic candidates.
SARS-CoV-2 virus enters the body as a result of the viral spike protein binding to the ACE2 protein on the surface of lung cells. This interaction is driven by a small region of the spike protein and the majority of antibodies currently undergoing clinical trial bind to this site. However, this site has changed in some of the emerging viral variants, reducing or abolishing the effect of some clinical candidates. Drug candidate antibodies developed by IONTAS to this same site have been shown to retain binding to the emerging variants.
An alternative approach for tackling variants is to target alternative regions of the virus which have a greater degree of conservation, making escape variants less likely. GSK/VIR Biotechnology recently announced a successful Phase 3 trial of such an antibody. VIR-7831 is an antibody which binds to a region of the spike protein which is highly conserved between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV-1 (A distantly related virus responsible for the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome in 2003). VIR-7831 has shown an 85% reduction in hospitalisation and death during the COMET-ICE clinical trial.
A sub-set of the IONTAS antibodies, show a similar functionality to VIR-7831, by binding to sites conserved both in the recently emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as to the more distantly related SARS-CoV-1 virus.
Dr John McCafferty, CSO at IONTAS, commented: “The first wave of antibody drugs for treating COVID-19 was focused on achieving maximal neutralization to the original SARS-CoV-2 strain first identified in Wuhan. This led many companies to a target site on the virus which is very effective for neutralization but also prone to genetic change. Second generation drug candidates need to anticipate the emergence of new variants by targeting more conserved sites. IONTAS has identified drug candidates which neutralize by targeting conserved regions of the virus. We now seek partners to help develop these to better position the world in tackling this dreadful disease.”
Thermo Fisher Scientific has expanded its Thermo Scientific General Purpose Pro Centrifuge Series with the addition of two new models designed to meet the needs of biopharmaceutical, cell and gene therapy, and academic research laboratories, as well as clinical diagnostic facilities, for enhanced sample safety and reproducibility, improved ergonomics and reduced noise levels.
The new 1.6 L benchtop and 4 L floor-standing systems complete the General Purpose Pro Centrifuge Series, completing a comprehensive family of products to address varying sample capacity and laboratory space requirements. Like the other systems in the series, the new models feature a unique full colour, glass touchscreen display that facilitates a simple user interface for immediate, effortless workflow and operation monitoring, as well as easy cleaning.
A new high-speed rotor complements the 4 L models providing the ability to run both microplates and tubes. Built with versatility in mind, the complete General Purpose Pro Centrifuge Series offers 24 different rotor options in total — including 11 swinging bucket and 13 fixed angle rotors — which can be used interchangeably to align with various application needs, from cell culture procedures and microplate processing to cell and gene therapy manufacturing and clinical protocols. The systems’ ergonomically enhanced, novel industrial design enables the quick and safe change of any of the 24 rotor types in just three seconds through the Auto-Lock Rotor Exchange function.
The General Purpose Pro Centrifuge Series includes the Thermo Scientific Sorvall, Thermo Scientific Multifuge and Thermo Scientific Megafuge systems, all of which meet the latest global IVD standards and medical regulations. Superior sample capacity and performance are enabled through the systems’ Fiberlite Carbon Fiber Rotors, while the certified ClickSeal Biocontainment Lids ensure personnel and laboratory environment safety and security.
November 2025
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