Agilent Introduces NovoStation Sample Prep System to Automate Flow Cytometry Workflows

Editor’s Take: Eliminating sample prep time in flow cytometry leaves more opportunity for scientists to interpret results.

Agilent Technologies launched its NovoStation Sample Preparation System, an automated platform to help laboratories streamline flow cytometry sample prep.

According to Agilent, pairing this with the company’s NovoCyte flow cytometer and NovoExpress software offers an integration-ready solution. This enables a hands-free sample-to-answer workflow that frees up time for scientists to interpret results.

Flow Cytometry Labs in Focus

The platform’s unveiling comes as Agilent says flow cytometry labs are pressured to process more samples, supporting more complex assays. And, the company says, they must do all this while continuing to deliver reliable results.

Meanwhile, higher-throughput workflows are becoming more common in multiple settings: pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, contract research, core lab, and academic.

NovoStation Put to Test

To put hard numbers to it, Agilent says NovoStation reduced hands-on time by more than 90% in validation studies. All this, while maintaining data quality comparable to manual processing.

The company offered as an example a 25-color immunophenotyping workflow involving 30 samples. Normally, manually, this task takes 85.5 minutes to complete. NovoStation was able to do the task while requiring just 7.9 minutes of operator time.

Similarly, in a kappa/lambda light chain assay, Agilent says the NovoStation automation cut hands-on time from 89.4 to 6.8 minutes.

Agilent Scientists Free Up Time

Agilent VP Knut Wintergerst, General Manager of the Cell and Biomolecular Analysis Division, says end-to-end workflow automation gives scientists confidence.

With high-quality data being generated, Wintergerst explains, researchers can focus more on scientific innovation.

“NovoStation builds on Agilent’s longstanding expertise in flow cytometry and laboratory automation,” Wintergerst said. “[It extends] integrated workflow automation to flow cytometry to improve efficiency, consistency, and workflow simplicity.”