PSS scientists and engineers focused on magnetic particles already practically used as an ultimate immobilization material in automating immunological serum tests and studied automation of the extraction process needed for genetic tests. As a result, PSS invented a control technique of magnetic particles by using a device based on a conventional X-Y-Z-axis robot-type pipetting machine. It has a specially-shaped plastic disposable tip and a magnet automatically detachable outside the tip.
In the device, a sample is first drawn up into a specially shaped tip, which is loaded into a nozzle. The sample is then dispensed into a well containing reagent and mixed by aspirating and dispensing repeatedly. The magnetic particles can be effectively separated and captured on the inner wall of the pipette tip by a magnet that comes into contact with the tip at the region with optimal diameter during aspirating or dispensing operation. Moving the separated particles to the next well and repeating the aspirating/dispensing operation can lead to effective re-suspending or washing of the magnetic particles. Eliminating the risk of cross-contamination was achieved by operation without bubbling or scattering because the tip end is immersed in the liquid during this process. The company’s magLEAD 12gC is a fully automated nucleic acid extraction instrument. A compact bench top system, it can simultaneously process up to 12 samples. The risk of cross contamination is eliminated by the usage of pre-filled reagents and single use disposables. The instrument allows the isolation of nucleic acid within a short period of time. Based in the city of Matsudo near Tokyo, PSS has about 100 employees, also offices in Germany and USA. It commercialized the Magtration technology in 1995 and has since provided its automated DNA extraction systems to other health care equipment companies including Roche Diagnostics in Germany, Genovision (now Qiagen) in Norway and Magnetic Biosolution of Sweden.
PSS scientists and engineers focused on magnetic particles already practically used as an ultimate immobilization material in automating immunological serum tests and studied automation of the extraction process needed for genetic tests. As a result, PSS invented a control technique of magnetic particles by using a device based on a conventional X-Y-Z-axis robot-type pipetting machine. It has a specially-shaped plastic disposable tip and a magnet automatically detachable outside the tip.
In the device, a sample is first drawn up into a specially shaped tip, which is loaded into a nozzle. The sample is then dispensed into a well containing reagent and mixed by aspirating and dispensing repeatedly. The magnetic particles can be effectively separated and captured on the inner wall of the pipette tip by a magnet that comes into contact with the tip at the region with optimal diameter during aspirating or dispensing operation. Moving the separated particles to the next well and repeating the aspirating/dispensing operation can lead to effective re-suspending or washing of the magnetic particles. Eliminating the risk of cross-contamination was achieved by operation without bubbling or scattering because the tip end is immersed in the liquid during this process. The company’s magLEAD 12gC is a fully automated nucleic acid extraction instrument. A compact bench top system, it can simultaneously process up to 12 samples. The risk of cross contamination is eliminated by the usage of pre-filled reagents and single use disposables. The instrument allows the isolation of nucleic acid within a short period of time. Based in the city of Matsudo near Tokyo, PSS has about 100 employees, also offices in Germany and USA. It commercialized the Magtration technology in 1995 and has since provided its automated DNA extraction systems to other health care equipment companies including Roche Diagnostics in Germany, Genovision (now Qiagen) in Norway and Magnetic Biosolution of Sweden.