Materials & Microfluidics
Materials Optimization
Handling samples in the preparation and testing phases of molecular diagnostics relies heavily on the use of glass consumables due to the material’s inert nature and high tolerance for temperature variances and chemical insult. The primary drawback of glass includes the sheer expense involved in its routine use as well as its fragility. Glass consumables can have material costs approaching 100-fold of polymer (plastic) alternatives.
Arcxis has nonetheless managed to overcome the typical polymer performance challenges through engineering expertise and optimized materials selection, processing and manipulation. The successful integration of the right polymers into Arcxis’ consumable cartridges, provides us with enormous design flexibility and tremendous cost control.
Microfluidics
One of the daunting challenges in developing truly streamlined, rapid sample preparation/test methods lies in the creation of a compact consumable device capable of effectively housing and executing numerous processing steps. While microfluidics has always promised to help solve reagent cost issues, other problems including effective mixing and optimal surface area for target binding have yet to be resolved.
Through expertise and proprietary techniques, Arcxis has put into practice the promises of the technology. We have developed optimal consumable cartridges not only to support the complex steps required from sample preparation through reporting, but to also reduce both time-to-result and cost per diagnostic outcome. Arcxis technologies have demonstrated reportable results in less than 20 minutes, comparable to traditional turn-around times of 12-36 hours.
Arcxis Expertise Pays Off in Unexpected Ways
Our microfluidics expertise has also led us to a modest, highly specialized contract manufacturing business, wholly focused on intricate laser welding, cutting and annealing of specified polymer materials for medical applications.
For more information contact: materials@arcxis.com |
