Proteomic Pact: PerkinElmer chooses Nonlinear Dynamics as its exclusive proteomics informatics provider

WELLESLEY, Mass.—Further cementing a  business relationship forged in the late 1990s, PerkinElmer and Nonlinear Dynamics announced in late April that PE will distribute Nonlinear's complete range of 1D, 2D and array software and that it named Nonlinear as the exclusive provider of informatics software for its proteomics line.

"As a company, we have made a conscious decision to partner with best-in-breed companies," says Mary Lopez, business leader for analytical proteomics at PerkinElmer. "Nonlinear Dynamics is clearly the leader in proteomic software solutions and is a stable company that has been around for awhile which we think will be an advantage for us and our customers."

The announcement comes as Perkin-Elmer looks to carve out a greater presence in the proteomics research market. To that end, the company is re-launching its gel imaging strategy with its new consumables line called ProXpress and Nonlinear's software comprising the core of the strategy.

For Nonlinear Dynamics, the deal will help it gain wider distribution as well as access to a larger set of data points from PE for use in its development programs. "PerkinElmer is a giant," says John Spreadbury Nonlinear's group sales and marketing director and CEO of Nonlinear USA Inc. "Previously, we were treated as a provider and now that has changed as we have a more central role in their overall proteomics strategy. Plus the access to data that PerkinElmer generates in their various divisions is crucial for some new products that we have coming out or are in the wings for us at the moment."

According to Lopez, "Our intention is to reaffirm PerkinElmer as the first choice in gel imaging, whether it is for 1D or 2D gels, blots or any other applications," she says. "We believe this will provide customers with a lot more choice and a seamless product line in proteomics as well as other products we know Nonlinear is developing for the future."

Products under this business arrangement will be either co-branded with the PerkinElmer and Nonlinear Dynamics names, or sold as enhancements to ProFINDER the 2D gel image analysis software Nonlinear developed specifically for PerkinElmer in 2003.