FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J. and SAN DIEGO—Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), a global medical technology company, and Biosero, a developer of laboratory automation software and mobile robot integrations, recently established a framework collaboration agreement to enable and facilitate robotic arm integration with BD flow cytometry instruments. The purpose of the collaboration is to accelerate drug discovery and development, according to a joint release by the companies.
Together, the companies intend to develop new software capabilities within BD flow cytometer instrument software to be compatible with Biosero’s Green Button Go® software. Their capabilities are also intended to jointly support biopharmaceutical and contract research organizations with their custom research needs, and to enable easy integration with robotic arms.
Traditionally, several steps in a lab’s flow cytometry workflow for drug discovery and development require manual processes. With robotic integration, these steps can become automated.
For example, samples are typically loaded and analyzed on a flow cytometer one multi-well plate at a time, requiring a time-consuming manual step each time the multi-well plate is changed. With robotic arm integration, tens or even potentially hundreds of multi-well plates can be automatically changed without human intervention.
“Automation is increasingly paramount for biopharma companies and contract research organizations whose high-throughput drug screening and cell therapy manufacturing efforts rely on the scalability, reproducibility, quality, and speed that robotic integration can provide,” said Steve Conly, worldwide president of BD Biosciences, in the release. “This collaboration unlocks a new chapter of automation for our current and future biopharma partners. By combining forces with Biosero, a trusted leader in lab automation, we will empower customers to bring their potentially life-changing therapies to market even faster.”
Flow cytometry is a powerful tool used across many stages of drug discovery and development. In drug screening, it allows researchers to analyze effects of potential drug candidates on single cells within vast populations. In cell therapy manufacturing, flow cytometry is used to analyze and characterize cells at different stages of the production process to ensure safety and efficacy of the final cell therapy product.
“Biosero’s portfolio of laboratory automation software works with flow cytometers, robotic arms, as well as mobile robots and other equipment, within one communicative ecosystem, to automate scientific protocols and boost lab productivity while reducing human error,” said Ryan Bernhardt, CEO of Biosero, in the release. “This collaboration advances our vision of making laboratory automation easy to use, scalable, and adaptable for the vital work of drug discovery and development.”
The new versions of BD flow cytometer instrument software that are compatible with Biosero automation software for the BD FACSymphony A1™ Cell Analyzer, BD FACSymphony™ A5 SE Cell Analyzer, and BD FACSLyric™ Flow Cytometry System will be available for research use in 2025 through local sales representatives. The BD FACSDiscover™ family of instruments is also on the roadmap for future integration, according to the release.
Biosero, a member of the BICO group, develops science-centric software and laboratory automation systems that are said to “enable researchers to orchestrate their discoveries at every stage.” The company’s Green Button Go Scheduler software and integration services match laboratory automation to science, creating a cohesive technology ecosystem that accelerates operations and increases productivity, the company said in the release.