Covaris Introduces a High-Throughput, High-Precision Mixing System

WOBURN, MA—March 6, 2000—Covaris, Inc. announces its innovative High-Throughput sample mixing technique. This is a new application of Covaris¹ enabling technology platform for High-Throughput biology research.

The exCELLerator™system enables non-contact mixing for automated sample preparation and processing. High-Throughput applications that require controlled mixing, dissolving or resuspension can be standardized with this technology. The Covaris Process applies computer-controlled shock wave physics to life sciences. These shock waves can penetrate closed vessels and then converge in a mixing zone. This technology can work with completely closed vessels for enhanced safety of users. Since mixing occurs without the need of stirring implements and in closed vessels, sample-to-sample cross contamination is eliminated. The process may also be used in conjunction with, and to improve the efficiencies of resin, bead, and paramagnetic particle-based mixing processes.

The exCELLerator is designed to accommodate a variety of sample vessels, including tubes, multi-well plates, and microarrays in a random access, individually addressable format. The instrument can be used to mix a single well or a whole multi-well plate in batch mode. Depending on the sample volume, the Covaris system will mix a multi-well plate of samples in less than one minute without operator assistance. For example, with a 1 microliter sample volume the processing time may be less than a millisecond. The Covaris system is amenable to both cell-based processes and biochemical assays.

The exCELLerator system is the leading edge of High-Throughput sample processing technology. It is designed for state-of-the art laboratories that need a reproducible, robust sample mixing process in fields such as toxicology, functional genomics, target validation and proteomics.

Covaris, Inc. is a privately held company founded in 1999 to develop instrument systems based on its proprietary biophysical technology platform. ExCELLerator systems are being installed in High-Throughput laboratories, however, this technology is still open for licensing in specific fields of use. The system can be configured as either a stand-alone, bench-top apparatus or as a module for a robotic-based laboratory.

About Covaris:
Covaris, Inc. is a privately held company founded in 1999 to develop instrument systems based on its proprietary, patent-pending, biophysical technology platform. The technology is based on focused acoustic energy and applications of shock wave physics for advanced and high-throughput applications in biology and medicine.

Contact:
Covaris, Inc.
14 Gill Street, Unit H
Woburn, Massachusetts
USA 01801-1721
Tel: +1 781-932-3959
Fax: +1 781-932-8705
e-mail: [email protected]