IDEX Health & Science, a global leader in optics and fluidics, has launched the Tridex™ Protein Analyzer to measure protein titer directly from a bioreactor in real time.

Tridex, which Planet Innovation helped develop, is a complete solution for at-line titer monitoring in a bioprocess environment that is compact and easy-to-use.

The measurement of antibody titer is a critical parameter for manufacturing biologics and biosimilars. Biologics are a new class of drugs used to treat some cancers, as well as autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis, by stimulating or suppressing the immune system.

Unlike most drugs, which are manufactured through chemical synthesis, biologics are manufactured in living systems such as a cells or bacteria. The process to make a biologic is very similar to the process for making beer or wine and takes a few days to weeks to ferment or grow the cells which produce the antibody. The process needs to be monitored constantly to ensure consistent, high quality products.

Tridex is the first protein analyzer on the market built specifically for bioprocess monitoring. It uses a unique trap and elute technique to accurately monitor the titer in a bioreactor. This approach delivers fast and accurate results without the need for method development or specialized training.

Kurt Pickle, Business Line Leader for Bioprocess Analytics, commented: “The Tridex Protein Analyzer unlocks true process insights with the shortest time from sample to result at just under 5 minutes. We are confident that Tridex will fill a gap in this market, delivering speed, accuracy and ease-of-use and ultimately improving efficiencies in the drug development process.”