set up to examine six different colors to tag different cell types. That’s less than some of the bigger systems that can offer 12 parameters simultaneously, he says. While some users like the greater flexibility that comes with more parameters, Life Tech’s research found that 80 percent of users only want to examine two to six different cell types at once.
The product is being aimed at both academic and industrial researchers, with a formal product introduction during the second quarter, Barthelemy says. He wouldn’t say who has placed orders for the new machine, although the company tried to create some “buzz” through postings on Twitter and YouTube that described the new machine when Life Tech offered scientists a peek at the tool last month at the American Society for Cell Biology conference in San Diego.
It’s still early days for a new product like this—way too early to say whether this could someday be an earnings driver for Life Tech. But it definitely offers some insights into how Life Tech intends to market an innovative product in a big, competitive market.
“We don’t have any instruments like this yet,” Barthelemy says. “You want to pick a beachhead where you can win, where you have a real value proposition.” He adds: “We needed a disruptive innovation.”
