Malvern Instruments signed an exclusive agreement with Affinity Biosensors, under which Malvern will distribute Affinity’s Archimedes Particle Metrology system through its subsidiaries in Europe and Asia. This agreement covers all regions outside the U.S. and Canada, and Malvern will establish a co-marketing arrangement with Affinity Biosensors in North America. 

Archimedes employs a technology co-invented by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Affinity Biosensors. Using the technique of resonant mass measurement, Archimedes detects and counts particles and determines their mass and size in small sample volumes. A key area of application is the measurement of protein aggregation in biotherapeutic formulations. Archimedes’ technology can both count and characterize aggregates, making it useful for biopharmaceutical manufacturers and developers, the firm reports.

“Protein aggregation is a significant challenge in the development of protein-based drugs, and an area of increasing interest and potential regulation,” said Duncan Roberts, business development director for Malvern. “Archimedes will sit alongside Malvern’s Zetasizer and Viscotek systems, all of which deliver complementary solutions for customers in this fast-growing pharmaceutical industry sector.”

Archimedes allows precise measurement of size and mass of particles with diameters down to 50 nm, according to the company. It can also differentiate between protein aggregates and silicone oil droplets in an injectable biopharmaceutical using buoyant mass measurement.

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