• Agilent Technologies (Santa Clara, California) reported the release of eArray 5.4 online microarray design tool, which enables users to design custom microRNA (miRNA) microarrays. miRNA is an emerging field of study because researchers are increasingly associating these abundant molecules with some types of cancers, heart disease, other disorders and stem-cell differentiation. Researchers can use Agilent's pre-designed human, mouse or rat miRNA probes, or access miRNA sequences for all 87 species in Sanger 12.0 in the designs of their miRNA microarrays.

• BioDtech (Birmingham, Alabama) reported the release of EndoPrep, a product designed for the safety of genetically engineered and protein drugs. The company said EndoPrep allows for the more accurate detection of a toxin associated with the production of antibodies, recombinant proteins and synthetic peptides which are the basis for new cancer, cardiovascular, neurological, infectious and metabolic diseases. The toxin is masked by these drugs in the current FDA approved methods for detection. EndoPrep removes the drug allowing the toxin to be exposed and detected by standard assays.

• BioCision (Mill Valley, California) has launched the CoolRack PF (Profile Fit), expanding its line of highly thermo-conductive tube and plate holders. The CoolRack PF provides rapid and identical temperature shift rates among samples in microfuge tubes. The CoolRack PF's conical tube profile provides full contact between the thermo-conductive rack and each sample, maximizing cooling and heating rates. With the CoolRack PF, snap freezing rates are as fast or faster than those obtained using dry ice alcohol slurry, and are highly reproducible in an indexed, hands-free, upright and dry manner. Liquid nitrogen freezing with the CoolRack PF produces cryogenic freezing without liquid phase sample immersion.

• MannKind (Valencia, California) reported completion of its trial to demonstrate equivalence of its commercial inhaler to the version of the device that was used in clinical trials to deliver Afresa, MannKind's ultra-rapid-acting insulin that recently completed Phase III clinical trials. The company said the pharmacokinetic profile of Afresa sets it apart from all other insulin products. It said the large surface area of the lung provides unique access to the circulatory system. The pH-sensitive Afresa particles immediately dissolve upon contact with the lung surface, releasing insulin monomers that rapidly enter the bloodstream. It achieves peak insulin levels within 12 to 14 minutes of administration, effectively mimicking the release of meal-time insulin observed in healthy individuals, but which is absent from patients with diabetes.

• MicroPhage (Longmont, Colorado) said a new bacterial identification test that rapidly identifies MRSA infections has moved closer to market with conclusion of its first multi-center clinical trial. The beta-site study evaluated MicroPhage's prototype assay to identify Staphylococcus aureus (staph) bacteria and determine methicillin resistance (MRSA) or susceptibility (MSSA) in suspected cases of bacteremia (bacteria in the blood). The MicroPhage system requires no instrumentation and is composed of two small reaction tubes for incubating blood-culture specimens.