The agreement combines Sony DADC’s Blu-ray Disc manufacturing technology and manufacturing capacity with Caliper’s microfluidics expertise and patent portfolio to develop enabling solutions for life science researchers and for diagnostic applications.
Caliper and Sony DADC have co-developed consumables for the LabChip XT system, Caliper’s automated nucleic acid fractionation instrument for sequencing applications.
Caliper claimed that the LabChip XT removes a key bottleneck in sequencing workflows by replacing gel isolation and purification steps used in size selection.
The plastic chips manufactured by Sony DADC allow Caliper to offer a cost-effective and disposable consumable that eliminates cross-contamination potential.
Caliper president and CEO Kevin Hrusovsky said that the exacting requirements for fragment size control in Next Gen Sequencing are addressed with Caliper’s patented microfluidics technology, while the scale of the opportunity created an opportunity for outsourced manufacturing and the transition to plastic chip format.
Sony DADC president and CEO Dieter Daum said that Sony DADC is pleased to partner with Caliper to co-develop microfluidic technologies based on their high volume plastic consumable manufacturing capabilities.