Sepmag awarded Chinese patent for homogenous biomagnetic separator

24 Jan 2011

Barcelona-based Sepmag, a manufacturer of biomagnetic separation systems for the in vitro diagnostics market, has received a Chinese patent for its innovative homogenous magnetophoresis technology.

The patent was granted for the unique methods and devices for the homogeneous separation of magnetic particles — a technique that applies less pressure on particles and guarantees users consistently reproducible results in their in vitro diagnostics kits.

Gaining the patent forms part of Sepmag’s commercial strategy for targeting the Chinese market. The company has already commenced shipping the Sepmag Q250ml to CapitalBio, its first client in the region, for the processing of large batch volumes in protein purification. Following the success of this contract, it intends to actively market itself to diagnostic companies across China looking for more sophisticated solutions that allow for greater sensitivity, as an alternative to traditional technologies like enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA).

The company's precision magnetophoresis systems, unlike other biomagnetic separation processes, produce a completely homogeneous magnetic field, which applies the same magnetic force on beads regardless of the distance from the magnetic ring.

Using conventional separators, beads that are further away from the magnet will be harder to manipulate and those that are closer may experience an excessive force, often resulting in bead aggregation, loss of activity and resuspension problems. In contrast, Sepmag’s unique magnet alignment vastly reduces the variability of the end product, enables a more straightforward scale-up process and greatly simplifies revalidation processes.

Josep Maria Simó, CEO, commented: “We are delighted that the Chinese Patent Office has granted Sepmag a patent for our unique magnetophoresis techniques. This will allow us to further consolidate our Far-East presence, having already established a strong and growing foothold in Japan. Over the next couple of years, we forecast the Chinese marketplace to be amongst the fastest growing for biomagnetic separation systems. The agreement we have signed with CapitalBio marks the start of a significant expansion in the region and a continuation of the internationalisation of Sepmag technologies.”