Applied Biosystems/MDS Analytical Technologies Launches New Mass Spectrometer to Accelerate Proteomics Research

Applied Biosystems, a division of Life Technologies, and its mass spectrometry joint-venture partner, MDS Analytical Technologies, a business unit of MDS Inc., today introduced the AB SCIEX TOF/TOF(TM) 5800 System, the fastest, most sensitive MALDI-based mass spectrometer ever built. This system, which is now commercially available, will help researchers advance the discovery of biomarkers to improve the understanding of diseases for potential use in a clinical setting, which is part of the promise of personalized medicine.

The AB SCIEX 5800 System represents a significant advancement in MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight technology), which works by ionizing complex biological samples and identifying the individual protein components by their molecular weight. This system enables researchers to identify up to 30% more proteins at a rate that is 10 times faster than any other MALDI system on the market, thereby setting the highest standard for protein biomarker discovery, MALDI imaging and protein identification. This system, combined with the release of a new processing software application, ProteinPilot(TM) 3.0, is part of a complete workflow that accelerates proteomics research.

By expanding the boundaries of protein discovery, the AB SCIEX 5800 System enables scientists to achieve in less than a day what takes more than two weeks on other MALDI-based systems. This system is expected to advance the discovery of new biomarkers that could potentially yield more accurate and sensitive clinical tests in the future, which is a high priority in the medical and scientific communities. The AB SCIEX 5800 System enables the discovery of a wider range of protein biomarkers, enabling scientists to identify and quantify more proteins in complex samples faster than existing systems today.

Laura Lauman, President of Life Technologies Mass Spectrometry Systems Division

"The ability to better understand diseases at the protein level will ultimately improve diagnosis and help to create more effective treatments based on an individual's expression of specific proteins that relate to a disease or a response to targeted therapies. The AB SCIEX 5800 System delivers innovative, breakthrough technology that provides a giant technological leap forward that will help translate today's biomarker research into tomorrow's personalized medicine."

Andy Boorn, President of MDS Analytical Technologies

"We have developed the most advanced MALDI mass spectrometer ever built. The AB SCIEX 5800 System is another example of how Applied Biosystems/MDS Analytical Technologies continues to innovate and develop best-in-class instrument systems that form the backbone for complete workflow solutions for biomarker and protein research. This is essential technology for researchers to expand their protein studies."

Mark Stolowitz, Ph.D., Director of the Proteomics Core Facility at the Canary Center for the Early Detection of Cancer at Stanford University's School of Medicine

"Mass spectrometry will play a significant role in our efforts at our new center for cancer research in discovery and verification of protein biomarkers, contributing to the realization of personalized medicine, which is closer than many people may think. We chose the AB SCIEX 5800 System as our facility's first proteomics platform because it enables the breadth of applications we need to hit the ground running. We will use its unique capabilities to address the gap between biomarker discovery and clinical immunoassay to ultimately impact patient care."