HERCULES, CA — April 11, 2008 — Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (AMEX: BIO and BIOb), a multinational manufacturer and distributor of life science research and clinical diagnostic products, today announced the introduction of two microplate readers, the Bio-Rad iMark™ Absorbance Microplate Reader and the Bio-Rad xMark™ Absorbance Microplate Spectrophotometer as well as the Microplate Manager 6® (MPM6) software to operate the new readers and analyze data.
Designed for use by researchers in academic, agriculture, drug development, toxicology and industrial laboratories, as well as clinicians and agencies that monitor food safety and quality, the new readers combined with MPM6 software produce robust and reproducible assay results.
MPM6 software allows users complete reproducibly of the assay workflow, plate reading parameters, calculations and reports. The software can be installed on a PC or Mac computer with no license restrictions.
For routine colorimetric assays in microplate format such as ELISA, protein quantitation and cell proliferation assays, the iMark Absorbance Microplate Reader is an easy to use absorbance reader that enables users to quickly and reliably read any commercial or specially made colorimetric assay (400-750 nm) in a 96-well format. Six pre-installed filters cover all common colorimetric applications, producing reliable and easy to interpret data that may be immediately documented on the system"s built-in printer.
For absorbance spectrophotometry applications such as colorimetric assays, compounds and cell screening, as well as nucleic acid and protein spectral detection, the xMark Absorbance Microplate Spectrophotometer combines the precision and versatility of absorbance detection with the high throughput capabilities of a microplate reader. For example, the xMark system offers users flexibility in choice of detection wavelength and plate format having a 200 to 1000 nm spectral range for single wavelength detection or spectral scanning combined with a six to 1,536-well format, including custom plates. The xMark detects absorbance in hundreds of points within a single well for extra control over a sample and assay behavior.
Using a Checkmark reader performance verification kit the iMark and xMark can be validated to ensure reliability and precision of optical density measurements in order to comply with regulatory requirements.
About Bio-Rad
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (AMEX: BIO and BIOb) has remained at the center of scientific discovery for more than 50 years manufacturing and distributing a broad range of products for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned worldwide among hospitals, universities, major research institutions, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for its commitment to quality and customer service. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is headquartered in Hercules, California, and serves more than 85,000 research and industry customers worldwide through its global network of operations. The company employs approximately 6,300 people globally and had revenues approaching $1.5 billion in 2007. For more information, visit www.bio-rad.com.
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