Agilent, Akadeum to Develop Molecular Isolation Platform

Akadeum Life Sciences said on Wednesday that it is collaborating with Agilent Technologies to develop a new method of isolating target molecules for analytical workflows.
 
Akadeum is currently developing a method that involves microbubbles to separate molecules and circulating tumor cells in liquid biopsies for downstream applications. The Ann Arbor, Michigan-based company aims to leverage the technology to improve isolation workflows and capabilities for target molecules, including DNA, proteins, and microbes.
 
"Sample preparation is a critical, yet often undervalued step in most analytical assays … [and] the task … employs decades old technology that is manual, time-consuming, and resource intensive," Akadeum CEO Brandon McNaughton said in a statement. "Akadeum was founded to bring simple and superior isolation solutions to a variety of industries through our buoyancy-based microbubble technology."
 
Financial and other terms of the deal were not disclosed.