Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2020 - 4

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Magnetic Nano-Beads for Rapid Covid-19 Detection in $21
Billion Purchase of GE's Biopharma Business
Magnetic nanoparticles from
biopharma company Cytiva, formerly named GE Healthcare Life
Sciences, are positioned to play
a role in the booming biotech
business that is focused on rapid
detection of the Covid-19 virus.
They are part of a $21 billion
acquisition of the GE business
unit in March by life sciences
conglomerate Danaher.
The company's new SeraSilMag silica coated superparamagnetic particles are designed
for diagnostic analyses of
nucleic extractions from biofluids and liquid biopsy samples. A recent application report
from Cytiva notes that the particles can be effective for sensitive detection of viruses
such as Covid-19 as well as Adenovirus and Influenza. High magnetization (60 emu/g)
and strong binding capacity provide fast magnetic response, in about five seconds, and
shorten the time required for processing.
In high throughput nucleic acid extraction applications, magnetic particles have
become the method of choice, replacing
the more complex processing associated
with column-based approaches, says the
company.
The beads come in two uniform sizes, one at
about 700 nm diameter and the smaller one
at 400 nm. The new particles are part of an
extensive line of encapsulated ferromagnetic particles and reagents from the company
which have superparamagnetism properties.

SeraSil-Mag beads at 1 milliAngstrom resolution

In sufficiently small nanoparticles, magnetization
can randomly flip direction under the influence of
temperature. Other products in the line include
Sera-Mag SpeedBeads for particularly fast magnetic response and shorter assay times in clinical
diagnostic tests.

MagRack 6

The company also provides specialized magnetic
processing equipment for labs. Its MagRack 6 is a
magnetic rack for small-scale protein purification
and sample enrichment with magnetic beads. Each
rack has a detachable plastic bar (white) containing
a neodymium magnet. The photo at the top of this
article shows the company's MagRack Maxi, also
having a Neodymium magnet bar, being used.

Danaher renamed the business Cytiva to operate as a standalone company within its $6.5 billion
per year life sciences segment. The full portfolio acquired includes instruments, consumables,
and software that support the biopharmaceutical industry. Cytiva adds about $3.2 billion in revenues, with approximately 75% of the revenues considered recurring, to the segment. Danaher
has more than 20 operating companies globally and 67,000 employees.
For more info, see www.cytiva.com.

Magnetics Business & Technology *

Volume 19, Issue 5
Editor & Publisher
David Webster
Contributing Editor
Dr. Stan Trout
Director of Operations and
Support Services
Ross Webster
Director of Sales and Content
Scott Webster
Design & Layout
Scott Webster
Administration
Marsha Grillo

Magnetics Business & Technology (ISSN
#1535-1998) is a publication of Webcom
Communications Corp.
Subscriptions for one year are free for the
qualified US, $44.00 non-qualified US and
$60.00 outside US. Single copies are $20.00
each plus shipping. Back issues are available for $20.00. Payment must be made
in US funds in order to process the order.
Direct all subscription inquiries, orders and
address changes to Fulfillment Services.
Reprints: For reprint requests contact Webcom Communications at 720-528-3770.

© Copyright 2020 Webcom Communications
Corp. Material in this publication may not be
reproduced in any form without written permission. Requests for permission should be
directed to the customer service manager.
Webcom Communications Corp.
501 South Cherry Street, 11th Floor,
Denver, CO 80246 Phone 720-528-3770
www.MagneticsMag.com

September/October 2020
www.MagneticsMag.com

http://www.MagneticsMag.com http://www.cytiva.com http://www.MagneticsMag.com

Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2020