RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.—Looking to broaden its base of potential customers, Biomachines Inc., a manufacturer of automation tools for drug discovery, announced last month the formation of a new proteomics services division, called Applied Proteomics Services. The new division is the result of an exclusive agreement Biomachines forged with the University of Massachusetts Medical School's Proteomic Fractionation Group (PFG) and leverages the experience of PFG researchers Sunny Tam and Douglas Hinerfeld.
"What we have set up is a division for ourselves where we will provide the business development, sales and marketing for proteomics services while helping UMass develop work and research for the PFG," says Tom Larrichio, CEO of Biomachines.
Operating under a fee-for-service model, Applied Proteomics Services will provide diverse proteomic sample preparation, fractionation and mass spectrometry. Using PFG's integrated technology platform, the company says, allows customers to gain advantages in the quality of data derived, throughput, and the ability to review, interpret and troubleshoot outcomes of experiments.
"The deep knowledge of Doug and Sunny and their long experience working in this lab can help our customers solve complex research problems and questions," says Larrichio. "We think this service will be a benefit to all companies that either don't have the capabilities or the expertise of the people at PFG or the capacity internally to perform this work."
And while PFG is currently fully equipped, the intention is to place a number of Biomachines tools in the lab to help with proteomics work. This would include Biomachine's TMiD, a microfluidic automation and imaging platform, Larrichio notes.
For PFG, access to Biomachines' equipment is equally important in expanding the services they offer.
"By working closely with the cutting-edge equipment from BioMachine, our technology platform will be expanded and more biopharmaceutical applications utilizing our proteomic expertise will be created," says Sunny Tam, in a statement announcing the deal.
While it might seem a stretch for BioMachines to enter the services arena, it has been a part of the company's plan since it was reorganized earlier this year. Of interest to the company is the $15 billion-a-year monoclonal antibodies market, one that is estimated will top $27 billion by 2010.
"We estimate that our proteomics services will represent 50 percent of our business several years from now," Larrichio says.
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