The launch of these 18 new or upgraded assays follows on from Agilent's comprehensive product launch, which saw the company introduce a host of tools for the DNA Microarray, GC & GC/MS, Lab-on-a-Chip and LC & LC/MS sectors.
The Series II family of assay kits offer improvements to specifications such as sizing range, robustness and sample matrix tolerance for RNA, DNA and protein.
While the new Protein 230 kit features an increased sizing range, higher sensitivity and salt tolerance, the new Protein 80 kit provides optimal performance for the analysis of proteins from 5 to 80kDa, which is suitable for analysing reduced antibodies.
Additionally the kits offer full compatibility of DNA 1000 and Protein 230 with 5100 Automated Lab-on-a-Chip Platform HT-assays.
There is no price increase over existing 2100 Lab-on-a-Chip assay kits, and users will no longer need to purchase separate RNA ladders for the RNA assay. The existing kits will be phased out in June 2006.
The new assay kits are reverse-compatible with all Agilent 2100 bioanalyser instruments. A free software upgrade is required to run the new assays.
"We've been developing Lab-on-a-Chip based assays since 1999, and have listened carefully to the needs of users," said Tobias Preckel, product-marketing manager for Agilent's 2100 bioanalyser assays.
"Series II demonstrates how Agilent translates customer input and experience from development of the Agilent 5100 Automated Lab-on-a-Chip Platform assays into products that deliver better value."
In addition to improved specifications, the new kits offer an extended shelf life of a minimum of four months, which is expected to grow with further testing.
Other kits to be launched include the Agilent RNA 6000 Nano & Pico Series II Kits replace the previous RNA LabChip kits, which will be obsolete by the end of June 2006.
Improvements to the RNA 6000 Series II assays include improved RNA ladder which is now included in both RNA kits, higher sensitivity for the RNA Pico assay and increased assay stability for samples with a high salt content for both RNA assays.