SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., July 31, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluidigm Corporation, a leader in mass cytometry and microfluidics technologies, today announced a new full-length single-cell mRNA sequencing application for the C1™ system that provides deep coverage and high sensitivity while reducing sample preparation costs by over 30%. Ideal for validation and further interrogation of new single-cell populations identified by ultra-high throughput methods, this new application expands the capability of the C1 to advance new single-cell discoveries.

Because ultra-high throughput methods currently lack the coverage and sensitivity to go beyond cell identification and classification, researchers in the single-cell community have increasingly relied on full-length sequencing to confirm and characterize newly identified single-cell populations. To support this approach, Fluidigm researchers collaborated with New England Biolabs^® (NEB^®) to develop a more affordable full-length single-cell mRNA sequencing workflow for use with C1. Researchers can easily upgrade their C1 systems and download the new NEBNext^® full-length cDNA Synthesis scripts and protocols through Script Hub™ for immediate use with C1 96 mRNA sequencing and C1 Open App™ 96 integrated fluidic circuits.

“NEB recently launched its NEBNext Single Cell/Low Input RNA Library Prep Kit, which enables high sensitivity and reliability of transcript detection, and is pleased to be working with Fluidigm to support its use on the C1 system,” said Fiona Stewart, Next Generation Sequencing Portfolio Manager at NEB. “Single-cell biology is an important and growing area of life science research, with great potential in many fields, including cancer and neurobiology. We are excited that the combination of NEB’s and Fluidigm’s technologies will better meet the needs of researchers working in this area.”

“We are pleased to offer the single-cell community with a more cost-effective method to validate and characterize ultra-high throughput studies,” said Chris Linthwaite, President and CEO of Fluidigm. “By bringing together the advantages of microfluidics technology with optimized chemistries from NEB, we believe this winning combination will enable researchers to further expand our overall understanding of health and disease at single-cell resolution.”  

About Fluidigm
Fluidigm (NASDAQ:FLDM) develops, manufactures, and markets life science analytical and preparatory systems for markets such as mass cytometry, high-throughput genomics, and single‑cell genomics. We sell to leading academic institutions, clinical research laboratories, and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and agricultural biotechnology companies worldwide. Our systems are based on proprietary microfluidics and multiparameter mass cytometry technology and are designed to significantly simplify experimental workflow, increase throughput, and reduce costs while providing excellent data quality. Fluidigm products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

We use our website (www.fluidigm.com), corporate Twitter account (@fluidigm), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/fluidigm), and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fluidigm-corporation) as channels of distribution of information about our products, our planned financial and other announcements, our attendance at upcoming investor and industry conferences, and other matters. Such information may be deemed material information, and we may use these channels to comply with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Therefore, investors should monitor our website and our social media accounts in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, and webcasts.

Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, C1, C1 Open App, and Script Hub are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Fluidigm Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statement for Fluidigm
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of newly introduced products and the growth and potential of single-cell biology research. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from currently anticipated results, including but not limited to risks relating to challenges inherent in developing, manufacturing, launching, marketing, and selling new products; potential product performance and quality issues; intellectual property risks; and competition. Information on these and additional risks and uncertainties and other information affecting Fluidigm business and operating results is contained in Fluidigm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Fluidigm Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2018. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Fluidigm disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

Contacts:

Media:
Michaeline Bunting
Senior Director, Marketing
650 737 4190
michaeline.bunting@fluidigm.com

Investors:
Agnes Lee
Vice President, Investor Relations
650 416 7423
agnes.lee@fluidigm.com

Source: Fluidigm Corporation