NEW YORK, Nov 20 – Applied Biosystems unveiled a new higher-throughput ABI Prism 7900 HT sequence detection system Monday, and says it plans to ship the system to customers during this quarter.
The 7900 sequence detection system, which uses automated PCR technology, is designed to performs gene expression quantitation and SNP detection at a higher throughput than Applied Biosystems' previous model, the ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System.
The system can handle micro-titer plates between 96 and 384 wells, while the 7700 can only handle 96 wells at a time.
The new system also includes an optional automation accessory, which can load up to 84 384-well plates into the system at a time, and allows the system to operate 24 hours a day without human input.
The higher throughput and increased automation could lower the cost to pharmaceutical companies for high-volume gene expression experiments, Applied Biosystems said.
" The ability to perform a larger number of assays at much lower reagent running cost is very important to pharmaceutical manufacturing customers," said Michael Hunkapiller, president of Applied Biosystems.
This launch follows closely PE’s announcement that it would be expanding Applied Biosystems' molecular diagnostics efforts, and had hired Roche Molecular diagnostics CEO Kathy Ordonez, who oversaw Roche’s PCR technology efforts, to head up the initiative.
" Applied Biosystems is well placed to serve the diagnostics manufacturing sector through our licensing arrangements and the molecular diagnostics initiative we announced Nov. 6," Hunkapiller said.