Diatech Pharmacogenetics, an Italian molecular diagnostics company serving the precision medicine market internationally, is expanding into laboratory instrumentation with Labcycler, a compact PCR thermal cycler built on three principles: robustness, accuracy and ease of use. Designed for routine laboratory workflows, Labcycler delivers reliable performance in nucleic acid amplification.
Originally developed by Germany-based SensoQuest, Labcycler is now manufactured at Diatech’s facility in Jesi, Italy, combining German engineering heritage with Italian manufacturing heritage.
Nucleic acid analysis underpins modern medicine, enabling earlier and more precise detection of molecular information across a broad range of applications, from oncology and forensics to veterinary, plant and environmental testing. At the core of these workflows is nucleic acid amplification, a critical step that every lab must be able to perform with accurate, reproducible results.
The SensoQuest investment is the natural evolution of a relationship built on first-hand experience. With more than 30 years in R&D for molecular diagnostics, Diatech had already used and evaluated the product, recognising its high reliability and precision. Based on its positive experience, Diatech has taken over Labcycler’s manufacturing and development in order to make it available to a broader market.
At the heart of Labcycler is an electroformed, gold-plated silver block that matches high manufacturing standards and reaches target temperatures much faster than the aluminum blocks typically used in these instruments. The system achieves control accuracy of ±0.01 °C with excellent temperature uniformity across the entire block, ensuring highly reproducible PCR results. An integrated temperature gradient function makes Labcycler well suited to optimising primer annealing temperatures and developing new assays.
Labcycler offers interchangeable thermal blocks in two formats: a 96-well block for 0.2 ml tubes, strips and plates, and a 384-well block for high-throughput applications. Each block has its own processor, gradient capability and independently controlled Peltier elements that maintain a uniform temperature even at high heating and cooling rates. A quick-change system lets users swap blocks in seconds, adapting the instrument to different applications and throughput requirements.
Ease of use is built into the design. A colour touchscreen with graphical protocol display lets users create and edit protocols quickly, monitor PCR runs in real time and keep training time to a minimum. Password protection can be configured for groups, users, folders and individual programmes.
Designed for up to 600,000 cycles, equivalent to roughly 20 years of use, Labcycler is a future-proof investment for laboratories seeking accuracy, efficiency and excellent value for money.
