BioTrove

BioTrove, Inc., founded in 1997, operated as a developer and manufacturer of systems for genomic analysis, high-throughput screening, and molecular diagnostics. The company was established in Woburn, Massachusetts, and was co-founded by Colin Brenan, who served as the Chief Technology Officer. Brenan's two decades of experience in scientific research and product development, including his work at MIT on nano- and micro-scale biomedical instrumentation, were foundational to the company's direction.

The firm's business was centered on providing micro and nano-scale technology platforms for life science and drug discovery research. BioTrove developed and commercialized two primary technology platforms: OpenArray® and RapidFire®. The OpenArray® platform was a high-throughput gene expression and genotyping analysis system that allowed researchers to perform over 3,000 PCR-based assays simultaneously. This technology was designed to advance genomic research in fields such as agriculture, disease research, and public health. The RapidFire® platform was developed to accelerate drug discovery by enabling high-throughput mass spectrometry screening. These products catered to a client base that included 11 of the 12 largest biopharmaceutical companies and various research and public health centers.

The company's revenue was generated through the sale of its laboratory instruments and related consumables. A significant milestone was a collaboration agreement with Applied Biosystems in 2007 to commercialize the OpenArray® platform for genotyping applications. This partnership integrated Applied Biosystems' TaqMan® assays with BioTrove's high-density format. After raising a total of $61.9 million over eight funding rounds from institutional investors like Biofrontier Partners and Catalyst Health Ventures, BioTrove was acquired by Life Technologies Corporation. The acquisition was announced in November 2009 and completed in December 2009 for an undisclosed amount, with the stated goal of enhancing Life Technologies' offerings in the PCR market.

Keywords: genomic analysis, high-throughput screening, molecular diagnostics, OpenArray platform, RapidFire platform, PCR technology, gene expression, genotyping, drug discovery, mass spectrometry, life science research, TaqMan assays, nano-scale instrumentation, micro-scale technology, biopharmaceutical tools, agricultural genomics, disease research tools, laboratory instruments, genomics consumables, Life Technologies acquisition