Malvern Instruments’ extends biopharma solutions      

Materials characterisation company Malvern Instruments Ltd. has signed a distribution agreement to co-market Affinity Biosensors’ Archimedes Particle Metrology system through its subsidiaries in Europe and Asia to all areas outside of the US and Canada.

Archimedes employs a patented technology co-invented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Affinity Biosensors. Using the technique of Resonant Mass Measurement (RMM), Archimedes detects and counts particles and determines their mass and size with high resolution and accuracy, in small sample volumes. A key area of application is the measurement of protein aggregation in biotherapeutic formulations, which provides critical information needed to speed development and improve drug safety and efficacy.

“We are very pleased to be involved with this exciting new technology and to be adding it to our growing range of solutions for biopharmaceutical researchers,” said Duncan Roberts, Business Development Director for Malvern. “Protein aggregation is a significant challenge in the development of protein-based drugs, and an area of increasing interest and potential regulation. Archimedes will sit alongside Malvern’s Zetasizer and Viscotek systems, all of which deliver complementary solutions for customers in this fast growing pharmaceutical industry sector.”

Affinity Biosensors’ CEO Ken Babcock commented, “Archimedes has been adopted at many leading US biopharmaceutical companies. Our partnership with Malvern will extend Archimedes’ reach worldwide, and we are glad to see it alongside Malvern’s leading materials characterisation technology. Archimedes users are sure to benefit from Malvern’s world-class support and applications expertise.”