Custom Projects and Consultation from Experimental Panel Design to Data Analysis

            Providing Instrument Access Prior to Purchase Decision and Much‑Needed Capacity for Customers Affected by COVID-19 Related Laboratory Closures

            New Collaboration via Therapeutic Insights Services Provides Visikol Customers Access to Rich Data and Powerful Analysis Tools from Imaging Mass Cytometry

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., May 07, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluidigm Corporation (Nasdaq:FLDM), an innovative biotechnology tools provider with a vision to improve life through comprehensive health insight, today announced its new Therapeutic Insights Services business, designed to provide researchers with sample-to-answer mass cytometry and Imaging Mass Cytometry™ (IMC™) services for a broad range of research needs.

The menu of Therapeutic Insights offerings includes consultation from experimental panel design to data analysis, custom antibody sourcing, conjugation and verification, staining for IMC with standard or custom panels, mass cytometry or IMC data acquisition and powerful data analysis tools.

“By broadening the access to mass cytometry and IMC, Therapeutic Insights Services provides researchers with new capabilities in interrogating the tissue microenvironment, helping them answer important questions in developmental biology, disease progression and response to therapy,” said Chris Linthwaite, Fluidigm President and CEO. “There are more than 1,000 important publications based on mass cytometry, documenting meaningful findings across immunology, immune function, immuno-oncology and infectious disease, including immune profiling in the fight against the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

“Customers affected by COVID-19 related closures of local research facilities, as well as those who wish to use mass cytometry and IMC before making an instrument purchase decision, will now have access to this important technology,” said Linthwaite. “In addition, Fluidigm will provide opportunities for Therapeutic Insights Services customers to provide feedback on new panels and analysis tools prior to their release.

“We are excited for the opportunity to share this platform and its considerable capabilities with many more researchers in the global scientific community.”

Concurrently with the launch of Therapeutic Insights Services, Fluidigm and Visikol^®, a leader in advanced tissue imaging and digital pathology services, announced a collaboration that will enable Visikol to offer its customers access to Fluidigm^® IMC technology. Visikol is a contract research organization focused on advanced drug discovery emphasizing bio-imaging, bioinformatics and image analysis.

"We teamed up with Fluidigm to provide IMC as a service because it is an incredibly novel tool that enables our clients to answer questions that they cannot effectively answer today. It is particularly valuable in offering unique benefits over conventional multiplex fluorescent slide scanning," said Erin Edwards, PhD, Visikol Head of Services.

“Our clients will now have the ability to acquire rich IMC data from their samples, with customizable service options including panel design, data acquisition, analysis and a range of others that add significant value. Most importantly, our clients will benefit from an unprecedented array of imaging-based tissue endpoints that lead to more meaningful insights.”

Learn more about Therapeutic Insights Services: https://www.fluidigm.com/singlearticles/therapeutic-insights-services

About Fluidigm
Fluidigm (Nasdaq:FLDM) is an industry-leading biotechnology tools provider with a vision to improve life through comprehensive health insight. We focus on the most pressing needs in translational and clinical research, including cancer, immunology, and immunotherapy. Using proprietary CyTOF^® and microfluidics technologies, we develop, manufacture, and market multi-omic solutions to drive meaningful insights in health and disease, identify biomarkers to inform decisions, and accelerate the development of more effective therapies. Our customers are leading academic, government, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and plant and animal research laboratories worldwide. Together with them, we strive to increase the quality of life for all. For more information, visit fluidigm.com. 

Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, CyTOF, Imaging Mass Cytometry and IMC 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. Fluidigm products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

Available Information
We use our website (fluidigm.com), investor site (investors.fluidigm.com), corporate Twitter account (@fluidigm), Facebook page (facebook.com/Fluidigm), and LinkedIn page (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.

About Visikol
Visikol is a CRO focused on advanced drug discovery that is leading the fields of bio-imaging, bioinformatics and image analysis. We conduct end-to-end drug discovery services that include both 2D and 3D in vitro models and assays, 3D whole mount tissue imaging, digital pathology and custom drug discovery projects. Visikol offers a portfolio of drug discovery services ranging from 2D and 3D cell culture model and assay development to in vitro screening, animal tissue histology and automated image processing. The focus of these services is to transform tissues into images and ultimately into quantitative data sets that can be mined for actionable insights that help our Clients make more informed decisions during the drug discovery process. Additionally, Visikol manufactures and sells a suite of tissue clearing reagents and 3D immuno-labeling kits. These products allow researchers to easily and rapidly image whole tissues and 3D cell culture models in 3D instead of traditional 2D sectioning. For more information about Visikol or its services, please visit our website at visikol.com.

Forward-Looking Statements 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 expectations for a new services business and a collaboration agreement. 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 the potential adverse effects of the coronavirus pandemic on our business and operating results during 2020; risks relating to company research and development and distribution plans and capabilities; 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, 2019, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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.

Contact:

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

Media:
Mark Spearman
Senior Director, Corporate Communications
650 243 6621
mark.spearman@fluidigm.com

Source: Fluidigm Corporation