16
August/September 2017 Laboratory Focus www.laboratoryfocus.ca
New Products Liquid biopsy
Exosome Diagnostics’ MedOncAlyzer 170 is the first liquid biopsy pancancer panel that simultaneously interrogates exosomal RNA (exoRNA) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in a single assay, according to the liquid biopsy solutions company. The MedOncAlyzer 170 is a targeted panel for tumor profiling that identifies clinically actionable and functionally important mutations across multiple cancer types starting from a small volume (≥ 0.5ml) of patient blood or plasma. “The MedOncAlyzer is the only cancer panel on the market that interrogates information on both RNA and DNA, giving it a higher sensitivity compared to ctDNA assays when profiling early stage and late stage cancers in plasma,” said Johan Skog, chief science officer of Exosome Diagnostics. “ctDNA-only solutions are seeing their most accurate measurements in late stage cancers.” The primary drivers of ctDNA release into the bloodstream are apoptosis and necrosis of tumor cells. However, Skog said existing solutions that rely on ctDNA alone are building a profile of the tumor that is biased towards consequences of cell death. “Exosomes, in contrast, are actively released by living cells including viable tumor cells,” Skog explained “The MedOncAlyzer, with its unique ability to co-isolate RNA and DNA, is balanced to produce accurate, highly sensitive identification of rare variants through all stages of disease progression and treatment, including RNA variants that cannot be seen on ctDNA.”
Web: www.exosomedx.com
Ellipsometers Horiba Scientific, a maker of has launched Uvisel Plus, a modular ellipsometer which is designed to measure thin film samples faster, and more accurately than previous models. The Uvisel Plus incorporates Horiba’s FastAcq technology. FastAcq is based on a new electronic data processing and high-speed monochromator which enables it to take sample measurements from 190 to 2100nm to be completed within 3 minutes, at high resolution. The ability to continuously adjust the spectral resolution along the measurement range enables to scan a sample smarter and faster. Uvisel Plus also introduces a new calibration procedure, delivering faster performance and accuracy. The new ellipsometer has no rotating elements and no additional components in the optical path. Designed for enhanced flexibility for thin film measurements, the Uvisel Plus offers microspots for patterned samples down to 50µm, a variable angle from 40 to 90°, an automatic horizontal mapping stage and a variety of accessories, making it scalable to meet all of your application and budget needs.
Web: www.horiba.com/scientific/products/ellipsometers/spectroscopicellipsometers/uvisel/uvisel-plus-640
Sample preparation kits Cole-Parmer,a manufacturer of laboratory equipment, has launched the Arcis Sample Preparation System can extract DNA and RNA extraction. The kit is designed for carrying out downstream processes, such as PCR/qPCR and sequencing, in just three minutes. It is ideal for use with Cole-Parmer’s Delta Seek reagents and Techne or PCRmax PCR and qPCR hardware systems. Existing sample preparation kits currently require laborious washing, heating and centrifugation steps that typically take 40 to 90 minutes to extract DNA or RNA from a sample. The Arcis DNA Prep Kit requires two simple steps that are completed in just three minutes, to provide high quality, PCR-ready templates with no need for additional laboratory equipment such as centrifuges or hot blocks.
Web: www.arcisbio.com/technology
Pipette accessories Picking up the wrong pipette looks like a set-up for a scene in a comedy but could mean real trouble in any lab. Mettler Toledo hopes to solve the wayward pipette problem with a new stand that helps technicians keep track of their pipettes. The Rainin SmartStand, is a highly scalable pipette asset management system that helps labs and lab managers proactively handle compliance and save time on recordkeeping and reporting. By reading the RFID chip in every Rainin XLS and XLS+ pipette, the SmartStand transforms how labs manage their pipettes. When a pipette is placed in one of SmartStand’s four holders, the color LCD screen instantly displays its current status in a clear visual language: green is “good,” yellow indicates that service is required soon and red signals that the pipette is beyond its service or calibration date. Remove a pipette from the stand and the color screen switches to a more detailed view of its service and asset record. “By leveraging the data that’s already stored on the pipette’s RFID chip, we’ve simplified how lab managers track service data and assure day-to-day compliance,” said Sicco Drion, product manager of SmartStand. “With SmartStand, service data and calibration status are readily apparent every time a user picks up a pipette. In addition to pushing a pipette’s current status right to the benchtop, the included EasyDirect Pipette Asset Management software simplifies and streamlines how labs manage their pipette data. Whether a lab has 50 pipettes or 500 (or more), EasyDirect is a flexible, infinitely scalable Windows-based pipette asset management tool that can connect to multiple SmartStands simultaneously via Bluetooth. Rather than manually updating a spreadsheet or lab information application (LIMS) every time a pipette is serviced or calibrated, users simply place the pipettes on a SmartStand to transfer new service data from their RFID chips into EasyDirect. EasyDirect maintains a profile with 11 customizable fields for each pipette, so lab managers can assign unique information, such as the user and lab, applications and ID/inventory number, to a pipette and record it to its RFID chip. EasyDirect can also help users find pipettes by identifying which SmartStand they’re hanging on. EasyDirect also simplifies service by keeping track of which pipettes are due and automatically filling out and printing the appropriate forms. It graphically indicates which pipettes are due for service, making them instantly recognizable. By capturing usage data through the SmartStand, EasyDirect helps lab managers reduce asset costs and eliminate pipettes that are no longer in use.
Web: www.mt.com/ca/en/home/products/pipettes/pipette-management/ smartstand-pipette-charger.html
