Fluidigm Singapore Launches Biomedical Product Development Center

PharmaManufacturing.com
02/01/2007

Fluidigm Corp. announced Feb. 1 that it is accelerating its R&D and manufacturing activities in Singapore, through the launch of its new Biomedical Product Development Center. This center, a core part of Fluidigm's worldwide R&D organization, will be responsible for the full development of a Fluidigm BioMark II series of instrumentation.

The BioMark II system will allow Fluidigm to expand its business into the biomarker validation market, which is growing rapidly in the life science industry. This strategic development makes Fluidigm the first biotechnology company to expand its portfolio in Singapore, according to the company, with leading-edge biochip and system R&D capabilities. It also underlines the company's confidence in Singapore's technical competence.

The center's initial research activities will support the development of instrumentation for the BioMark II system. The Singapore research group will undertake 100% of the R&D on a new biochip fluorescence reader and biochip loader, specially designed for high-throughput genotyping and protein expression applications. Fluidigm Singapore will also manufacture the BioMark II system. This new instrumentation will allow the company to tap into the genotyping and protein expression markets, valued at US$ 350 million and US$300 million respectively. This will help Fluidigm expand further into the research tool market, broaden the reach of its current products and enable the development of future products.

Operations for the Biomedical Product Development Center will commence immediately, with its current R&D team of five. Additional staff will be recruited from Singapore's pool of manufacturing and research expertise. The R&D center will also be supported by local precision engineering companies, as well as academic, biomedical and pharmaceuticals research institutions.

Headquartered in South San Francisco, Calif., Fluidigm Corp. set up Fluidigm Singapore as its first offshore R&D and manufacturing operation. This introduced breakthrough nanofluidic biochips, known as Integrated Fluidic Circuits (IFC) into the local biomedical sciences scene. Analogous to microprocessors in the semiconductor industry, these IFC biochips can replace roomfuls of lab equipment in the life sciences industry. The BioMark II system leverages on IFC's innovative technology to achieve dramatic improvements for genetic and protein analysis over existing technologies. Fluidigm's cutting-edge solutions, according to the company, have contributed to the research success of many internationally, well-regarded academics and pharmaceutical companies.