FRANKLIN LAKES, N.J., Sept. 12, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, today announced the launch of BD Rhapsody, a platform for single cell analysis with the ability to detect rare molecules responsible for biological diversity that are often missed with whole transcriptome profiling.

Developed using the company's patented unique molecular index (UMI) technology, BD Rhapsody is a complete system of reagents, instruments and software for targeted gene expression analysis of tens of thousands of individual cells. The product was previously in limited commercial release under the name Resolve. BD will offer both application-specific targeted panels and enable customers to design their own custom, targeted panels.

"Early access users have been enthusiastic about our targeted assay solution and its superior performance compared to whole transcriptome profiling," said Stephen Gunstream, vice president of Genomics for BD. "These same users have also experienced considerable sequencing cost savings from this technology."

The BD Rhapsody platform assay offering will be rapidly expanded over the next 12 months. Shortly after launch, customers will be able to multiplex many samples in one run with the BD single-cell multiplexing kit, significantly increasing sample throughput while maintaining the low doublet rate. The platform is also being expanded beyond RNA expression to include protein detection, leveraging BD's extensive antibody portfolio with BD AbSeq assays for protein expression.

"Initial data generated looks extremely positive and we believe true understanding of complex diseases will come with the ability to interrogate both protein and RNA in single cells simultaneously," Gunstream added.

BD has initiated early access for AbSeq protein detection on the BD Rhapsody system and expects commercial availability in the first half of 2018. The BD Rhapsody system and AbSeq assays will be showcased at this year's AGBT Precision Health and ASHG conferences.

These new products build on BD's 40-year history of providing solutions for single cells using flow cytometry. With the BD Rhapsody system, researchers are able to easily discover both the gene expression and protein markers that more completely identify their cell population of interest.

Join BD at the AGBT meeting on Friday, Sept. 15 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. or on Saturday, Sept. 16 from 12:45 to 1 p.m. in the Camelback Ballroom for the workshop, BD Rhapsody system and AbSeq: Simultaneous RNA and protein analysis on tens of thousands of single cells.

More information on the BD Rhapsody system and the new BD single-cell multiplexing assays is available at bd.com/Rhapsody.

The BD Rhapsody system is for research use only and not for diagnostic or therapeutic use. For more information, contact BD at +1 650.665.2400.

About BD
BD is a global medical technology company that is advancing the world of health by improving medical discovery, diagnostics and the delivery of care. BD leads in patient and health care worker safety and the technologies that enable medical research and clinical laboratories. The company provides innovative solutions that help advance medical research and genomics, enhance the diagnosis of infectious disease and cancer, improve medication management, promote infection prevention, equip surgical and interventional procedures, and support the management of diabetes. The company partners with organizations around the world to address some of the most challenging global health issues. BD has more nearly 50,000 associates across 50 countries who work in close collaboration with customers and partners to help enhance outcomes, lower health care delivery costs, increase efficiencies, improve health care safety and expand access to health. For more information on BD, please visit bd.com.

    Contacts:

    Gwen Gordon         Monique N. Dolecki

    BD Public Relations BD Investor Relations

    858.812.3724        201.847.5378

    gwen.gordon@bd.com  Monique_Dolecki@bd.com

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SOURCE BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company)