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

new Products

Stem thermometres

Bel-Art SP Scienceware has cut the cord with its latest laboratory thermometers. The company’s cable-free calibrated electronic verification lollipop stem thermometers were designed to make the task of verifying temperatures much easier. “These Lollipop Stem Thermometres are compact, all-in-one units with the display attached directly to the probe instead of with a cable commonly used in electronic verification thermometers,” explains Laura Geenen, director of product management for SP Scienceware. Cabled electronic verification thermometers are useful in ovens and freezers, and other applications that require the temperature to be verified without disrupting the samples’ environment. However, for applications where the temperature is verified less frequently, the compact, cable-free Lollipop thermometre is the superior choice. web: www.belart.com/h-b-frio-temp-calibrated-electronic-verification-lollipopstem-thermometers-for-refrigerators-incubators-and-general-applications.html

HIV test kits

People can now test themselves for HIV in the comfort and privacy of their own homes with a new single-use, disposable test kit developed by bioLytical Laboratories. The Richmond, B.C.-based rapid infectious disease test maker has been introducing it INSTI HIV Self-Test in several jurisdiction over the past few months and has recently launched it last week in the Netherlands. The launch in the Netherlands commenced last week with 20 HIV-specialized pharmacies and further penetration throughout the country is expected to all 1,900 pharmacies. Using a single drop of blood, the INSTI HIV Self-Test is more than 99 per cent accurate and provides a result in as little as 15 to 20 minutes. By comparison, it can take several days or weeks to get back test results from a laboratory, the company said. INSTI is an over-the-counter adaptation of the INSTI point-of-care test which has been used by healthcare professionals in Europe for over 10 years. “We saw the need to provide a solution that would empower individuals to take control of their health in a discrete way, and within the comfort of their own home,” said Robert Mackie, bioLytical’s president. “By launching in the Netherlands, we are able to make HIV testing more accessible and to diagnose those unreachable through current programs.” The was launched successively in Belgium, Kenya, and the United Kingdom. It is estimated that one in seven people are not aware that they are infected with HIV. HIV testing is the foundation of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative, which aims that by 2020, 90 per cent of those living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 per cent of those individuals will be on antiretroviral therapy (ART), and 90 per cent of individuals on ART will be virologically suppressed. Just achieving the first 90 is a major undertaking. As of 2014, of the estimated 2.5 million people in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region living with HIV, approximately half were not even aware of their status. Amsterdam has made great achievements in the elimination of HIV and is one of the first European cities that have reached the UN targets. In the latest report published by UNAIDS, Amsterdam is 9490-94. With the availability of HIV tests in pharmacies, the Netherlands can strive for 100-100-100. web: www.insti-hivselftest.com

Small RNA prep kit

Norgen Biotek Corp., a Canadian biotechnology company specializing in tools for nucleic acid and protein purification and stabilization, has launched a new portfolio of product and service solutions for Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) applications. Leading the list of new releases from the company is its Small RNA Library Prep Kit for Illumina. This kit consists of all the reagents and components required to generate small RNA libraries to be used for next-generation sequencing on an Illumina platform. This kit has been optimized for low input RNA (0.5-1ng), especially from bodily fluids and liquid biopsy samples such as plasma, serum, blood, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF), urine and exosomes. The simple and rapid workflow allows for the library to be prepared in less than 5 hours, with no gel purification required for selected types of samples. Norgen has also launched complementary products for Small RNA Library construction including NGS-compatible cel-miR-39 spikein as well as the NGS Library Quantification Kit (for Small RNA-Seq). In addition, Norgen also offers a wide range of NGS services to the scientific community. These include isolation services, library preparation, sequencing, and bioinformatics. Norgen is working with many clients and has extensive experience working with low concentration clinical samples. web: https://norgenbiotek.com/product/small-rna-library-prep-kit-illumina

Lab refrigerators

Clinical and laboratory personnel with the need to store vaccines, pharmaceuticals, and other molecular or biological samples safely, have another line cold storage options in the form of a laboratorygrade, under-the-counter refrigerators being offered by Thermo Scientific. The TSX505 Series is designed to minimize noise and energy consumption. The company said the series is the only one in its class which uses thermoelectric devices in place of compressor technology. This approach enables variable speed control. The new refrigerators regulate their internal temperatures more effectively to provide ideal storage conditions for the most demanding applications, according to Thermo Scientific. The Thermo Scientific TSX505 Series uses a compressor-free V-Drive technology which features synchronized temperature management (STeM). Internal conditions are actively monitored and maintained at the desired temperature. This includes constant monitoring of, and adjustments during, door-openings to minimize the negative impact of temperature fluctuations on samples. The V-Drive and STeM provide uninterrupted temperature stability and uniformity throughout the internal chamber. Furthermore, the new TSX505 refrigerators consume up to 37 per cent less energy than other models, translating to an average annual cost reduction of up to 30 per cent. The TSX 505 refrigerators also cut down on the “humming” sound heard by users of other lab-grade refrigerators. Refrigerators in the series operate at a discrete 35 dBA. This means that the unit can be kept in work areas without disturbing personnel, or nearby patients. The new line also uses environmentally-friendly refrigerants in compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP). web: www.thermofisher.com/order/catalog/product/tsx505gA?sid= srch-srp-tsx505gA