American Biotechnologist

Bio-Rad Laboratories announced the launch of its new Bio-Plex Pro™ Human Inflammation Panels, multiplex immunoassays that enable detection and quantification of the most comprehensive set of key inflammation biomarkers in a single assay.

Inflammation contributes to seven of the top ten causes of mortality, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. This underscores the critical need to identify and monitor underlying inflammation biomarkers — biochemical signs of inflammation — to aid in disease research and drug discovery and development. Other companies have developed products to quantify inflammation biomarkers, but have thus far not been able to deliver a multiplex solution that allows analysis of key inflammation biomarkers in a single assay.

The Bio-Plex Pro Human Inflammation Panel is the first multiplex immunoassay to enable detection of key inflammation biomarkers from the tumor necrosis factor (TNF), human interferon (IFN), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP), and IL-10/regulatory T cell (Treg) cytokine families in one assay. Using this panel, researchers can now study 37 key biomarkers of inflammation simultaneously in a single assay, allowing them to save precious time, money, and sample.

Benefits of Bio-Plex Pro Human Inflammation Panels include:

• Flexible ordering options — the panels are available as premixed and ready-to-use large screening kits (37-plex or 24-plex), a pathway-focused Treg 12-plex kit, singleplex assays, or any custom kits
• Rapid results — multiplex data are generated in 3–4 hours through the use of magnetic beads and protocols that deliver rapid turnaround time
• Easy preparation — Bio-Plex Pro Kits require only a single sample dilution factor and single-level control, simplifying setup

Bio-Plex Pro Human Inflammation Panels are compatible with the Bio-Plex^® 100/200,
Bio-Plex^® 3D, and Bio-Plex^® MAGPIX™ Platforms, as well as all other Luminex-based xMAP Instruments and Software.

For more information about Bio-Rad’s Bio-Plex product portfolio, please visit www.bio‑rad.com/bioplexpr.

Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. announced the release of its Bio-Plex Manager MP Software Upgrade, which runs on all Luminex-based MAGPIX readers. Users of Bio-Rad’s Bio-Plex® MAGPIX™ instruments have already benefited from the ease of use and improved instrument performance that Bio-Plex Manager MP software brings to multiplex experiments, and now, with Bio-Plex Manager MP Software Upgrade, these benefits are available on all Luminex-based MAGPIX readers.

Over the past decade and a half, life science researchers have relied on Luminex bead-based immunoassays to gain more information from less sample in less time. Bio-Rad’s years of experience with xMAP technology have provided the company with in-depth knowledge and an understanding of the needs of multiplex users, including their desire for automation and a simplified user experience.

The Bio-Plex Manager MP Software Upgrade brings the benefits of Bio-Plex Manager MP software, including automated instrument management, to all Luminex-based MAGPIX readers.

Bio-Plex Manager MP software offers an automated instrument management function, a unique feature that guides routine maintenance of the instrument based on its current status and performance. This automated feature ensures high quality data and optimal performance by:

• Automatically loading start-of-day maintenance routines based on instrument status
• Monitoring performance during data acquisition, alerting the user of performance issues, and resolving those issues
• Recommending simple stepwise troubleshooting

All of these benefits are now available for all Luminex-based MAGPIX readers through the Bio-Plex Manager MP Software Upgrade.

For more information on Bio-Rad’s Bio-Plex product portfolio, please visit www.bio-rad.com/bioplex.