Micronics, Beckman Coulter to Develop Lab-on-a-Chip- Based Hematology System
The lab-on-a-chip-based instruments developed under the collaborative agreement will use proprietary O.R.C.A. (Optically Resolved Chemical and Cellular Analysis) uFluidics to simplify the analysis process and eliminate sample pre-processing and instrument calibration. O.R.C.A. uFluidics disposables dramatically reduce the amount of reagents used, waste generated, and seal the patient blood sample at the end of an assay, minimizing biohazard risk.
The developers believe the instrument will be so simple to use that proficiency testing will be waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) of 1988. If it is CLIA-waived, the product will allow blood tests to be performed outside the laboratory—at the patient's bedside or in a physician's office, for example—by a licensed medical professional.
"We are optimistic that Micronics' proprietary lab-on-a-chip technology, together with Beckman Coulter's engineering leadership and market access will yield the first CLIA-waived, truly high-performance hematology instruments for point-of-care applications," Micronics president and CEO Jim Merselis stated in a company press release.
Micronics develops microfluidics-based products for application to clinical laboratory diagnostics, life sciences, and chemical analysis.
Beckman Coulter is a provider of instrument systems and complementary products for life science and clinical laboratories.
For more information, contact Bernhard H. Weigl of Micronics Inc. at 425-895-9197, ext. 15.