Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) announced that the 1260 Infinity Automated LC/MS Purification System, launched in late December, was one of the winners in the Analytical Scientist Innovation Awards. The automated solution, which builds on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometer detection, was cited as one of 15 transformative technologies introduced in 2013 for its ability to synthesize pure compounds without tedious method development or scale-up work.

"The Analytical Scientist Innovation Awards showcase the extraordinary range and pace of progress in our field, and we extend our congratulations to everyone involved in the development of these innovations," said Analytical Scientist editor Mr Rich Whitworth.

Referencing the system's optimal performance, efficiency and affordability, the publication detailed how the 1260 Infinity Automated LC/MS Purification System enables scientists to rapidly and easily confirm successful synthesis of target compounds in a matter of minutes, without any calculations, method translation or "vague guesses" about optimum conditions.

Without in-depth training on preparative chromatography, chemists, biologists or engineers can finally benefit from state-of-the-art separation efficiency. Specialized chromatographers can move away from routine purification work to focus on truly difficult separations.

"We are honored that the 1260 Infinity LC was selected for the Analytical Scientist Innovation Award," said Mr Patrick Kaltenbach, vice president of Agilent's Liquid Phase Division. "This automated UHPLC/MS solution is a milestone for our customers looking for thoroughly automated purification capabilities."

The 1260 Infinity Automated LC/MS Purification System is a scalable, workflow-focused solution for drug discovery and agrochemical research. Built on robust 1260 Infinity UHPLC and preparative HPLC modules and proprietary software algorithms, the system provides superior purification with automated delay volume calibration, and focused gradients tailored on the fly to individual target compounds.

The 1260 Infinity was one of two Agilent products to be named among the Analytical Scientist's top 15 transformative technologies of 2013. The company's GC-MS Inert Flow Path Solutions technology was ranked No. 10.

On September 19, 2013, Agilent announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of its electronic measurement business. The new company is named Keysight Technologies, Inc. The separation is expected to be completed in early November 2014.