SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., April 13, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fluidigm Corporation (NASDAQ:FLDM) today announced the introduction of the Maxpar® Human Immune Monitoring Panel Kit for comprehensive immune cell profiling in cancer and immune-mediated diseases. Immune monitoring is an essential method for quantifying immune cell populations over time in health and disease. A cornerstone in translational and clinical research, it is frequently used in the investigation of chronic inflammation, infectious disease, autoimmune diseases, and cancer.

Due to the inherent complexity of the immune system, the number of markers required to identify each subpopulation is continually increasing. Conventional methods used for immune monitoring, however, have a number of limitations. Flow cytometry, for example, often requires the use of complex workflows to design and deploy larger panel sizes, including use of multiple sample and control tubes that can exhaust precious biological samples and increase antibody usage. In addition, highly complex and time-consuming data analysis methods are needed to deconvolute fluorescence signals and subtract cellular autofluorescence that can interfere with results.

Designed for use with the Helios™, a CyTOF® system, the Maxpar Human Immune Monitoring Panel Kit is offered as a proven mass cytometry workflow to meet these challenges. Representing a significant step forward in high-parameter immune profiling, the immune monitoring kit contains 29 metal-labeled antibodies and reagents designed and optimized for deep immune profiling of human PBMC in a single tube. Optimized for routine high-parameter immune profiling, panel biomarkers were selected in collaboration with industry-leading pharmaceutical companies and academic institutions. Preserving precious samples, the single-tube assay enables combinatorial information to be obtained from each sample, eliminates daughter tube variation, and offers a simplified workflow that significantly reduces hands-on time.

Multiple data analysis options are available from third parties to analyze results from the Maxpar Human Immune Monitoring Panel, including Cytobank and GemStone™ software. Verity Software House is providing free access to an enhanced version of GemStone software developed for use with the Maxpar Human Immune Monitoring Panel Kit to Fluidigm customers who purchase this new kit. Significantly reducing the time to result to as little as five minutes, the highly innovative GemStone software sets a new standard in immune monitoring by enabling automated probability state modeling of viable single cells, population identification and quantification, and rapid results reporting when used with mass cytometry.

“Mass cytometry brings a wealth of information to immune monitoring,” said Bruce Bagwell, President of Verity Software House. “When used together with expanded software solutions, the potential to advance translational and clinical research is truly impressive.”

“We are very excited to offer the community a new approach to immune monitoring with the introduction of the Maxpar Human Immune Monitoring Panel Kit,” said Chris Linthwaite, President and CEO of Fluidigm. “This innovation represents a seminal advancement in unlocking the potential of mass cytometry to improve the future of care. Supporting our Fluidigm 2020 vision, this product is an important building block in establishing a new standard in human immune monitoring from early translational studies to large, multicenter clinical research programs.”

About Fluidigm Corporation
Fluidigm (NASDAQ:FLDM) develops, manufactures, and markets life science analytical and preparatory systems for markets such as mass cytometry, high-throughput genomics, and single‑cell genomics. We sell to leading academic institutions, clinical research laboratories, and pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and agricultural biotechnology companies worldwide. Our systems are based on proprietary microfluidics and multiparameter mass cytometry technology and are designed to significantly simplify experimental workflow, increase throughput, and reduce costs while providing excellent data quality. Fluidigm products are provided for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

We use our website (www.fluidigm.com), corporate Twitter account (@fluidigm), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/fluidigm), and LinkedIn page (https://www.linkedin.com/company/fluidigm-corporation) as channels of distribution of information about our products, our planned financial and other announcements, our attendance at upcoming investor and industry conferences, and other matters. Such information may be deemed material information, and we may use these channels to comply with our disclosure obligations under Regulation FD. Therefore, investors should monitor our website and our social media accounts in addition to following our press releases, SEC filings, public conference calls, and webcasts.

Fluidigm, the Fluidigm logo, Helios, CyTOF, and Maxpar are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Fluidigm Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statement for Fluidigm 
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, among others, statements regarding the anticipated benefits of newly introduced products and development of additional products. Forward-looking statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from currently anticipated results, including but not limited to risks relating to uncertainties in contractual relationships and international regulated markets; challenges inherent in developing, manufacturing, launching, marketing, and selling new products; the uncertain regulatory environment; potential product performance and quality issues; intellectual property risks; competition; interruptions or delays in the supply of components or materials for, or manufacturing of, Fluidigm products; and risks associated with international operations. Information on these and additional risks and uncertainties and other information affecting Fluidigm business and operating results is contained in Fluidigm’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, and in its other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. Fluidigm disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements except as may be required by law.

Contact:
Public Relations:
Michaeline Bunting
Senior Director, Marketing
Fluidigm Corporation
650 737 4190
michaeline.bunting@fluidigm.com

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