Sphere Fluidics, a provider of droplet-based microfluidics solutions for single-cell analysis and isolation, has unveiled Cyto-Mine Chroma, the second generation of its flagship Cyto-Mine platform. This new platform will offer enhanced capabilities, including multiplexing and greater assay flexibility, to further maximize the efficiency and precision of single-cell functional analysis workflows.
 
Cyto-Mine Chroma builds on the original Cyto-Mine platform’s ability to leverage picodroplet technology to encapsulate single cells, assess cellular function, and isolate target cells for downstream expansion or analysis. The new Chroma system will maintain Cyto-Mine’s best-in-class throughput enabling functional screening of millions of cells per hour and expand its multiplexing capabilities. With the upgrade to a four-color laser and detector system, Cyto-Mine Chroma significantly expands the utility of the original, single-laser Cyto-Mine platform by increasing the number of targets that can be analyzed for each encapsulated cell.
 
Launching in conjunction with the Company’s first multiplexed assay kit, the platform will enable researchers to conduct multiplexing in a single droplet, improving the throughput and precision of clone selection, by analyzing single cells for viability, productivity, and target specificity in one step. By accelerating the early selection of superior candidate cells, overall project timelines are reduced from months to weeks, while reducing effort and cost.
 
Cyto-Mine Chroma, which will launch in Q1, 2025, is designed to support evolving needs in single cell analysis, facilitating cutting-edge, cost-effective research across broad applications, including antibody discovery, cell line development, and emerging areas such as cell therapy. Sphere Fluidics’ product roadmap includes a range of new assays and applications that can be developed on the platform, and the capacity for extended capabilities to be added via upgrade modules.
 
Dale Levitzke, CEO, Sphere Fluidics, commented: “We have developed Cyto-Mine Chroma to revolutionize functional single cell screening workflows – it marks a significant milestone as part of our long-term vision for success and leadership in the single cell analysis field. The new Chroma system is a direct result of working closely with our customers to understand their requirements and how our microfluidic technologies can best support these, now and in the future. Cyto-Mine Chroma will strengthen our presence in the market and open opportunities for innovation and expansion, including entry into new, high growth markets globally.”
 
“By combining multiplexing with our best-in-class cell throughput for functional screening of viable cells, the Cyto-Mine Chroma platform will be a powerful new tool for our customers and will help them shave months off their project timelines,” added Richard Hammond, CTO, Sphere Fluidics. “We have built Chroma to enable the continuous expansion of its capabilities – providing our team with the ultimate platform to leverage as we respond to customers’ evolving needs.”