BIOsuppliers news

Bio-Rad launches new technology platforms

A multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research products and clinical diagnostics, Bio-Rad Laboratories, has recently introduced advance dual diagnostic platforms like D-10, Variant II fully automated systems for mid size and high through put labs respectively to monitor Diabetes and Thalassaemia through chromatography. Worldwide Bio-Rad is one of the leaders in Diabetes and Thalassaemia testing through HbA1c and HbA2. It has come up with a unique point of care testing instrument, Micromat II, which can diagnose diabetes through HbA1c within four minutes.

In the area of blood screening, Bio-Rad has recently launched a unique rapid test, which is the single use assay for the detection and differentiation of HIV-1 and HIV-2 antibodies. It has also introduced highly specific and sensitive antigen, antibody based HCV detection assays. Its Evolis is a self-contained microplate processor design to completely automate microtiter plate based EIA techniques. Developing assays that improve lives, BioRad's BioPlex 2200 system is a novel immunoassay platform that employs multiplexing technology to analyze for multiple disease states from single patient samples. This is amongst the first clinical diagnostics platform to offer multiplexing technology on a fully automated, fully integrated random access platform. The company is also one of the leaders in neonatal testing worldwide. In addition, Bio-Rad offers help to diagnostic labs to upgrade their quality standards by providing highly accurate quality controls and external quality control programs EQAS, which helps the lab to maintain the international quality standards in the testing.

A significant player in the life sciences segment as well, Bio-Rad has forayed in BioProcess chromatography systems. With the recent acquisition of Verdot – France, a bioprocess company, Bio-Rad is poised to be a major player in providing process systems to Bio-Pharma industries. Globally, Bio-Rad is a leading player in amplification systems by manufacturing the entire range of unique gradient-based thermal cyclers and real time PCR systems.

The company expanded its electrophoresis product portfolio by launching a fully automated chip based electrophoresis system, Experion, which has capability to complete the electrophoresis experiment including analysis within 30 minutes.

In India, Bio-Rad has joined hands with Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai to help industry and academia develop customized chromatographic methods and help scientists in solving their application related issues.

Globally, Bio-Rad serves more than 70,000 research and industry customers worldwide through a network of more than 30 wholly owned subsidiary offices. It is headquartered in Hercules, California. Bio-Rad India, based in Gurgaon, Haryana, is a 100 percent subsidiary of Bio-Rad Laboratories USA, and has regional offices at Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore and Hyderabad. Headed by Dhiren Wagle, country manager, the company provides services and products to the numerous research, industrial and clinical laboratories of India. The Indian office is also coordinating all operations in the neighboring countries of Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives. Bio-Rad is committed to providing customer support and service by having unique service base all over India and offering toll-free technical support backed up by experienced scientists. It is a fast-growing company dedicated to bring quality in terms of products, services and innovative ideas into the life-sciences research and health-care sectors.

Bio-Rad India has been seeing consistent growth in its revenues over the past few years. In 2004-05 its biotech business was Rs 45 crore, registering 18 percent growth as compared to the previous year's revenue of Rs 38 crore. The revenue generated by the clinical diagnostics group and the life sciences group during 2004-05 was Rs 18 crore and Rs 27 crore respectively. During the current fiscal the company aims to achieve a total turnover of Rs 60 crore.

"India, a promising market for biomedical research equipments"

Techniplast, an Italian biomedical research equipment company dealing in a diverse range of animal care products, recently gave a presentation on "Innovative solutions for research with laboratory animals", at the Indian Institute of Immunology.

The technical session provided exhaustive information on the some of the new upgraded products like metabolic cage, metabolic and diuresis cage and the newly introduced individually ventilated, Sealsafe cage for mice. Efisio Spanu, group service manager, Tecniplast said, "India is a promising market for biomedical research equipments and when compared to the high standards prevailing in the developed countries, India is making a lot of research to reach there. The commitment of the Indian researchers is very high, their level of competence is good and they are fast catching up in this area."

Techniplast, is a complete solution provider in the area of animal care products and has an exclusive tie up with Delhi-based Samitek Instruments, for distributing their wide range of biomedical research equipment in the country. During the last year, the company sold equipment worth 8,00,000 Euros in India and is optimistic to cross 1 million Euros this year. The company has about twenty years of design experience in husbandry equipment, a specific know-how in lab animal field and a broad knowledge and product range of washing solutions for its various products. It is presently conducting research on housing different aquatic species and related solutions.