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Thermo Fisher, NewLab Ink Distribution Deal for Human ID Technology

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Thermo Fisher Scientific said on Thursday it has reached a deal with NewLab Engineering for the exclusive global distribution rights to the Card Processing Automation technology for DNA-based human identification.

Thermo Fisher will be the sole distributor and servicing agent of NewLab's CPA300 and CPA200 card processing instruments. CPA technology is used by forensic, paternity, and research laboratories to prepare DNA samples for human identification.

The CPA300 is a fully automated, walk-away system that integrates sample card punching, liquid handling, and 96-well plate sealing, while the CPA200 is for lower-throughput labs and provides a semi-automated card punch solution that can be used with off-the-shelf and custom sample cards, as well as other paper-based collection devices.

Life Technologies, now part of Thermo Fisher, and NewLab's parent firm, Copan Italia, forged an agreement in 2012 for the exclusive global distribution rights to the Nucleic-Card DNA Collection System. This week's deal enables Thermo Fisher to offer an integrated, end-to-end solution that will improve results and efficiency to forensic labs, the company said.

The Nucleic-Card system enables efficient collection, preservation, and long-term DNA storage from blood and buccal reference samples, and the CPA300 and CPA200 instruments allow a method of processing the cards with direct PCR amplification using Applied Biosystems' short tandem repeat kits, Thermo Fisher added.

"The CPA300 and CPA200 instruments, combined with the Nucleic-Card system, means sample preparation can now be more efficient, [enabling] seamless integration with our downstream forensic sample analysis solutions," Nadia Altomare, vice president and general manager of human identification for Thermo Fisher, said in a statement.

Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.