Lonza and BD Diagnostics to collaborate
Will commercialise Lonza microCompass molecular assays on the BD Max system
Lonza Group of Switzerland has signed an exclusive agreement with US-based BD Diagnostics, a division of Becton, Dickinson and Company, for Lonza to commercialise its microCompass molecular assays on BD’s MAX system.
Lonza has the exclusive worldwide licence to co-market the BD MAX system with the full microCompass product line in selected fields.
The companies say microCompass assays on the BD Max system will provide an automated platform with same-day results for quality control testing in the pharmaceutical and personal care market segments.
Lonza and BD are also developing easy to use automated rapid microbial testing systems.
‘Working with Lonza will accelerate the availability of an integrated molecular quality and process control system for industrial microbiologists,’ said Tom Polen, president of BD Diagnostics – Diagnostic Systems.
Doug Danne, head of the Rapid Testing Solutions business unit of Lonza, added: ‘Together through this partnership, we will provide a valuable tool for our customers that will enable them to increase workflow efficiencies.’
The BD MAX system is based on microfluidics and molecular biology technologies, which automate nucleic acid extraction/recovery, polymerase chain reaction setup, amplification and detection.
According to Lonza, the microCompass assays will facilitate rapid detection for total bioburden load, sterility testing, Mycoplasma, and a variety of specific organisms.
