Wyatt Technology Introduces New DynaPro Plate Reader II with On-Board Camera Delivering Invaluable Insight into Sample Results

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - June 20 2012) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, today announced the launch of an all-new version of its DynaPro Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) Plate Reader. The DynaPro Plate Reader II is an evolution of the first system, but with the significant addition of an on-board camera capable of acquiring images of each well. The camera enables the collection of clean and easily interpretable images, as well as providing valuable insights into the optimal conditions for each sample. The new system also offers an expanded temperature range, enabling measurements from 4°C up to 85°C for greater flexibility in protein melting and aggregation analyses. The DynaPro Plate Reader II has been designed to provide unparalleled levels of ease-of-use, productivity, reproducibility and flexibility for the most demanding applications in the fields of formulation, stability, crystallography, vaccine development, compound aggregation, nanoparticle characterization, and any field in which determination of molecular or particle size and size distributions is valuable. Finally, the DynaPro Plate Reader II continues to be compatible with hundreds of industry-standard well plates in 96,384 or 1536 well formats.

For more than 30 years, conventional batch DLS was performed in the same, mind-numbing and labor-intensive way, which required analysts to stand or sit next to an instrument for hours, manually measuring samples one after another. The first DynaPro Plate Reader automated this entire process and has broken through the “one-at-a-time” barrier, allowing for the collection of more data in less time, with less effort and greater accuracy.  

Automated DLS also provides a totally new level of repeatability, reproducibility and stability for classical, kinetic and thermal studies. The DynaPro Plate Reader II contains a stable, temperature-controlled enclosure that is free from dust, providing the ideal environment for performing the most exacting and reliable DLS measurements. Offering an expanded temperature range from 4°C up to 85°C, the new system enables more rapid and accurate response. In addition, the system can be fully operational and efficient even when not all of the wells of a plate are filled. The same samples can also be analyzed multiple times without having to empty and refill the wells, allowing for significant time savings.

Equipped with inexpensive disposable well plates, the DynaPro Plate Reader eliminates the need for cleaning costly quartz cuvettes following each sample analysis to prevent contamination. Thousands of samples and solution conditions can be measured within a single plate for an unprecedented level of comprehensive and non-invasive biophysical characterization. Coupled with liquid handling robots, the DynaPro Plate Reader can also perform unattended for days, saving time in the lab.

For more information on the new Wyatt Technology DynaPro Plate Reader II, please visit www.wyatt.com or email info@wyatt.com

About Wyatt

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Wyatt Technology is the world’s leading provider of instruments for absolute macromolecular characterization. With over 40 years’ experience developing multi-angle light scattering detectors, working with customers in the biotechnology, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, academic and government arenas, Wyatt prides itself on its entrepreneurial spirit, and the uniqueness of its offerings. The Company’s groundbreaking technology and uncompromising levels of customer care make Wyatt the global hallmark in its field. For more information, please visit www.wyatt.com

For further press information please contact: Laura Browne, The Scott Partnership, 1, Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 1477 539539  Fax: +44  1477 539540   email to:wyatt@scottpr.com

High-Throughput and High-Salt Measurements of Electrophoretic Mobility (Zeta Potential) with Wyatt Technology’s Möbius

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – February 14 2012) Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, today announces that it will be showcasing its innovative zeta potential instrument, the Möbius™, at PITTCON 2012. The Möbius has been developed to automate the measurement of the mobility and the hydrodynamic radius of precious protein samples, increasing throughput without modifying the species. Additionally, the instrument is designed to facilitate analyses in high-saline conditions, expanding the capability of the laboratory. Wyatt Technology will exhibit the Möbius on booth #2281 at PITTCON 2012, Orlando, FL, March 11- March 15, 2012.

Previously, conventional batch-mode zeta potential instrumentation has been incapable of automating macromolecular particle electrophoretic mobility for multiple samples. Used with an HPLC pump and an auto-sampler, the Möbius can overcome this challenge, presenting an automated and cost-effective instrument for protein analysis.

The Möbius offers a unique cell, designed as a closed system, which accepts sample delivery from an autosampler. Once the sample injection sequence is implemented and synchronized with a data acquisition schedule in its Dynamics™ software, automated measurement of multiple samples is enabled. This eliminates the need for manual injection, helping to increase laboratory productivity and maximize time-efficiency. With the additional possibility of a buffer injection in between samples further enhanced by a wash sequence, cross contamination of cells is minimized, helping to ensure data accuracy.

Aqueous samples with conductivities near or above the physiological saline condition have proven to be a challenge for zeta potential instruments. As electric current is passed through a conductive sample, electrochemical redox reactions bring about electrolysis on the surface of the electrodes. Inevitably, gas bubbles evolve to distort the driving electric field and compromise the light scattering signal used for the measurements.
Wyatt Technology has developed a system for use alongside the Möbius to overcome this challenge. Wyatt’s Atlas™ hardware pressurizes the cell, preventing bubble formation. As a result, previously problematic mobility analyses are now routine.

To learn more about Wyatt Technology’s Möbius and its capabilities, please visit booth #2281 at PITTCON 2012. Alternatively please visit www.wyatt.com or e-mail info@wyatt.com

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About Wyatt

Based in Santa Barbara, California, Wyatt Technology is the world’s leading provider of instruments for absolute macromolecular characterization. With over 40 years’ experience developing multi-angle light scattering detectors, working with customers in the biotechnology, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, academic and government arenas, Wyatt prides itself on its entrepreneurial spirit, and the uniqueness of its offerings. The Company’s groundbreaking technology and uncompromising levels of customer care make Wyatt the global hallmark in its field. For more information, please visit www.wyatt.com

Wyatt Technology Instruments Employed to Develop Alternative Materials to Faulty Silicone Breast Implants

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – February 01 2012) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, today announced that Professor Judit E. Puskas at the University of Akron has developed a system using its instrumentation that will also help to solve a prevalent and particularly controversial material science challenge. The researchers are employing the multi detector system to develop alternative materials to silicone breast implants. This development will be welcomed by many as faulty Poly Implant Prothèse (PIP) implants are causing global concern about implant safety, and as a result, alternative materials are sought. 

The recent scandal concerning French-made PIP implants concerns thousands of women across 65 countries with 300,000 potentially harmful implants sold over the last 12 years. It was revealed that these implants contained industrial silicone, intended for use in mattresses, rather than medical-grade silicone fillers.

Wyatt Technology’s Calypso GC-MALS System Provides Fast and Accurate Measurements of Biomolecular Interactions

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA - September 02 2011) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in absolute macromolecular characterization instrumentation and software, today announced that its Calypso Composition-Gradient Multi-Angle Light Scattering (CG-MALS) system achieves accurate measurements of biomolecular interactions. The Calypso offers the unique capability of determining both the affinity and binding stoichiometry for macromolecules in solution with no need for immobilization or tagging, which may influence the interaction. This is demonstrated in a new application note, titled “Measuring Antibody-Antigen Interactions with the Calypso”, which is available to download free-of-charge via http://www.wyatt.com/files/literature/Calypso-Measuring_Antibody-Antigen_Interactions.pdf

Wyatt Technology’s FFF-MALS Provides Efficient Liposome Characterization

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – (August 18 2011) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in instrumentation for absolute macromolecular characterization and software, announces that its field flow fractionation (FFF) technology combined with multi-angle light scattering (MALS) and quasi-elastic light scattering (QELS) enables rapid measurements of particle size, size distribution, particle count, as well as structure. The combined system performs the most difficult sizing tasks in key areas of research and development in molecular biology and nanotechnology analyses, including the separation and characterization of liposomes and nanoparticles. This novel technology is illustrated in a new application note, titled “Liposome Characterization by FFF-MALS-QELS”, which is available to download free-of charge via http://www.wyatt.com/files/literature/Field_Flow_Fractionation-Liposome_Characterization.pdf.

Liposomes are made of lipid bilayers. The size of a liposome ranges from some 20 nm up to several micrometers and may be composed of one or several concentric membranes. Liposomes possess unique properties owing to the amphiphilic character of the lipids, which make them suitable for drug delivery. Liposomes have attracted considerable attention as potential vehicles for drug delivery to selected cells or tissues in vivo. Therefore, it is of great importance to monitor liposome size and encapsulation during liposome research, formulation, manufacturing and quality control. However, conventional methods to characterize liposomes fail to perform efficiently and to cover the whole size of liposomes.

In this new application note, a method combining the Wyatt Technology Eclipse FFF system with a DAWN HELEOS and online QELS was used to analyze two liposome samples, one empty, and one filled. The results demonstrated that the combined method is capable of determining the degrees of encapsulation and the internal structures of the two liposomes without making assumptions.

The FFF system offers a number of distinct advantages over column separation techniques for many applications. The method is robust and easy to use, involving minimal shearing and enabling a broad separation range, from small proteins (nm) to large particles (µm). FFF is a non-destructive technique that achieves true particle size distribution and on-line absolute characterization of a wide range of solutions and dispersions. Combined with MALS detectors, the method can determine the absolute size and molar mass distributions as well as the structure and conformation of the particles.

For more information on Wyatt Technology’s instruments or to obtain a copy of the new application note, please visit http://www.wyatt.com/ or email info@wyatt.com.

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About Wyatt
Based in Santa Barbara, California, Wyatt Technology is the world’s leading provider of instruments for absolute macromolecular characterization. With over 40 years’ experience developing multi-angle light scattering detectors, working with customers in the biotechnology, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, academic and government arenas, Wyatt prides itself on its entrepreneurial spirit, and the uniqueness of its offerings. The Company’s groundbreaking technology and uncompromising levels of customer care make Wyatt the global hallmark in its field. For more information, please visit www.wyatt.com

For further press information please contact: Laura Browne, The Scott Partnership, 1, Whiteside, Station Road, Holmes Chapel, Cheshire, CW4 8AA, United Kingdom Tel: + 44 1477 539539 Fax: +44 1477 539540 email to:wyatt@scottpr.com

Wyatt Technology’s Möbius Mobility Instrument Facilitates Protein Net Charge Computation at Low Concentrations

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – July 5 2011) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in instrumentation for absolute macromolecular characterization and software, announces that its Möbius electrophoretic mobility instrument can measure precise protein charges. The innovative optical design of the Möbius boosts the sensitivity of mobility measurements, enabling protein net charge characterization at much lower concentrations than previously possible. This unique capability is illustrated in a new application note, titled “Möbius Computation of Protein Net Charge from Electrophoretic Mobility”, which is available to download free-of-charge via http://www.wyatt.com/literature/application-notes/mobius.html.

Protein molecules carry charges that are influenced by their environment, amino acid sequence, ionic strength and the aqueous solvent pH in which they are dissolved. The net charge carried by protein molecules is of enormous scientific interest since it affects the behavior of the molecules. As the ionic strength of the solution increases, for example, more counter ions are present in the vicinity of the protein molecules and the mobility generally decreases due to the electrophoretic effect. However, measuring protein charge has been a challenging task for conventional phase analysis light scattering (PALS) instruments that can only provide measurements at high concentrations and at high voltages. In addition, undesirable interactions can often occur, such as that between the proteins and the capillary walls, which diminish the reliability of results.

Wyatt Technology MALS Fulfils Latest European Pharmacopoeia Standard for HES Characterization

(SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – June 24 2011) - Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in instrumentation for absolute macromolecular characterization, announces that its Multi-Angle Light Scattering (MALS) instruments represent the latest European Pharmacopoeia (EP) requirements for hydroxyethyl starch (HES) characterization.

The European Pharmacopoeia is a single reference work developed by the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines (EDQM). The official standards published within it provide a legal and scientific basis for quality control for all producers of medicines and/or substances for pharmaceutical use. A new publication within the EP specifically indicates that MALS instrumentation is the standard for characterizing HES.

WYATT TECHNOLOGY UNVEILS NEW BROCHURE FOR ITS NEWLY LAUNCHED MÖBIUS MOBILITY INSTRUMENT

Wyatt Technology Corporation, the world leader in instrumentation for absolute macromolecular characterization, has published a brochure in support of its new electrophophoretic mobility instrument, the Möbius. The 10 page brochure is a comprehensive document that outlines the unique capabilities of The Möbius, including an increased number of detectors at a variety of angles which produce a greater amount of data than any other "zeta-potential"
instrument. The surfeit of data results in the production of more reproducible results than ever before. The brochure highlights that the instrument is up to ten times more sensitive than the other instruments on the market and the first and only light scattering instrument that makes reliable, reproducible and non-destructive electrophoretic mobility measurements of macromolecules as small as 1nm while under dilute solution conditions. Furthermore, The Möbius can collect thirty times as much data as conventional technologies and produce the result in as few as thirty seconds.