Frost & Sullivan Recognizes Micronics’ Suite of Innovative Lab-on-a-Chip Technologies
Palo Alto , CA – Frost & Sullivan’s recent study, Lab-on-a-Chip — Microfluidics, acknowledged Micronics Inc.’s remarkable success in dealing with rapid prototyping and sample integration through its innovative solutions — including its Microcytometer™ lab card and microFlow™ microfluidic pump system.
Micronics is being presented with the 2004 Technology Leadership Award by Frost & Sullivan in recognition of the company’s sound platform of microfluidics technology innovation. This award is presented each year to the company that has successfully advanced new technologies and has been the first-to-market with them. The technology also has seen increased adoption rates due to its efficacy, thereby establishing the company as a technology leader.
Micronics has led the way in miniaturizing and enhancing complex fluidic processes for point of care applications with easy-to-use disposable devices. One such product in development is the company’s Microcytometer™ lab card for applications ranging from cell counting and sorting to cancer detection. This user-friendly credit card-sized device enables rapid processing and analysis of small amounts of untreated whole blood placed directly into the device. Where conventional flow cytometry processes can require expensive equipment, trained personnel, and hours to obtain a result, Micronics’ device reduces equipment cost, eliminates the need for skilled users and produces results in as little as 3-5 minutes.
Micronics develops both manually operated and instrument-driven lab-on-a-card — or lab card — devices, as well as portable and handheld systems. These microfluidics-based systems are expected to be of immense use in applications ranging from point of care disease detection and diagnosis, drug treatment monitoring, environmental and industrial processes, and other products where time to result and reduced cost is essential.
“Micronics’ patented microfluidics and microplumbing technologies enable the development of multi-purpose lab-on-a-card solutions by fundamentally modifying the way in which fluids are processed and with greatly reduced volumes, time, and cost,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Katherine Austin. “With its ability to integrate components into its lab cards according to client needs, we anticipate that Micronics will revolutionize point-of-use diagnostics, detection, and monitoring.”
Micronics also was the first to commercialize an ultra low-pulse pump system, known as the microFlow™ system, which enables researchers to optimize assays and precisely control fluid flow, at micro to pico volumes.
Since the pump makes a smooth twisting motion, it alleviates “stiction” — which is a common problem with the common syringe-type macro-scale pumps.
“The microFlow System has been used to extract antibiotics across the full physiological concentration range directly from 80 microliters of whole blood in four minutes for high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis,” comments Austin. “Blood cells and protein matter are left behind in the waste.”
About Micronics Inc.
Micronics provides custom lab card development services on behalf of private and public sector clients worldwide. Its capacity to integrate real world samples with on-card chemistries, MEMS, sensors, membranes, chemistries, electrodes, glass, and other components into desired end products for its clients — coupled with the company’s ability to rapidly prototype devices using thin film laminates — makes it one of the leading providers of custom lab cards. Micronics serves as both the developer of these novel devices as well as the supplier of the commercial product.
About Frost & Sullivan
Frost & Sullivan, a global growth consulting company founded in 1961, partners with clients to create value through innovative growth strategies. The foundation of this partnership approach is our Growth Partnership Services platform, whereby we provide industry research, marketing strategies, consulting, and training to our clients to help grow their business. A key benefit that Frost & Sullivan brings to its clients is a global perspective on a broad range of industries, markets, technologies, econometrics, and demographics. With a client list that includes Global 1000 companies, emerging companies, as well as the investment community, Frost & Sullivan has evolved into one of the premier growth consulting companies in the world.