Singapore: Bluechiip signed a license agreement with US-based high-technology manufacturing company, MiTeGen, for tracking cryopins. The joint development, collaboration and license agreement with Bluechiip allows MiTeGen to integrate the former's tracking technology into the cryopins.

MiTeGen manufactures and sells cryopins to organizations like the Australian Synchrotron, for which Bluechiip has just completed a project, as well as other synchrotrons around the world. The agreement allows MiTeGen to develop with Bluechiip, and sell the enhanced product. This adds a further product to Bluechiip's range and another revenue stream as the company moves into the commercialization phase.

MiTeGen, which is based in New York, US, designs, manufactures and distributes products for crystallization, crystallography and x-ray diffraction of proteins, viruses and small molecule and inorganic compounds. MiTeGen supplies crystallography goniometer bases, which are also commonly referred to as cryopins, for crystal mounts that are used in synchrotrons. MiTeGen's customers include academic, medical, pharmaceutical, government and industrial laboratories in more than 40 countries.

Mr Brett Schwarz, managing director of Bluechiip, said that, "We are confident that the agreement with MiTeGen will lead to better products and greater sales for both organisations, as well as prove the 'platform technology' nature of the bluechiip tracking technology."

Mr Robert Newman, CEO, MiTeGen, said that, "MiTeGen has a history of bringing cutting-edge sample handling innovation to crystallographers. We are excited to continue this tradition by partnering with Bluechiip to bring their sample tracking technology to beamlines and crystallography labs worldwide. The bluechiip technology offers numerous advantages over traditional bar-coding of bases and is extremely well suited for cryogenic conditions, as well as room temperature studies."