In Jnauary 2017, it was announced that Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. had agreed to acquire private biotech RainDance Technologies Inc. for undisclosed consideration. With ties to Harvard, the Medical research Center and ESPCI in Paris, andh aving facilities in Europe and in Asia, RainDance Technologies, Inc. (RDT) is a nanotechnology company devoted to developing, and commercializing a platform for droplet-based (digital) microfluidics that accelerate human health and disease research. This platform, the Personal Laboratory System, is an integrated fluid handling system providing precise manipulation of minute amounts of fluids for a variety of industrial and research applications that include life sciences research, cancer diagnosis and detection of residual diseases. The firmsâ core product, RainStorm microfluidics technology, powers next-generation sequencing and genetic testing systems to deliver dramatically superior performance, cost, interpretability, and ease of use. RainDance systems are used routinely in major academic research institutions, clinical genetics laboratories, and hospitals around the world. Rainstorm can produce up to 10 million picoliter-volume droplets per hour. Each droplet is the functional equivalent of a test tube and can contain a single molecule, reaction, or cell; this offers the scientist solutions that minimize experimental error, provide simple, high-speed workflow, and generate accurate measurements. The firm also develops genomic tools for non-invasive liquid biopsy applications for the research, early detection, and treatment of cancer, inherited, and infectious diseases. In 2015, the firm had applied for - and withdrawn - its IP
