Considering adopting gel methodology in our low-volume hospital Blood Bank, to be more efficient and standardized when generalist works solo in lab, responsible for all testing. Are there any other vendors in US, other than J+J (Ortho) that you can purchase gel products from?

Diamed who have recently been bought out by Biorad are trying to crack the US market. The technology is similar There is quite a bit about it in the other gel thread, including the difference between US and ortho technology

I heard once Ortho's exclusivity agreement for U.S. distribution expires, BioRad will be offering gel reagents in the U.S. I do not recall exactly when it expires, but I believe it is sometime in the next two years.

The agreement expires next year. I don't know that the other companies are reved up to take advantage of that. We may not see real competition until 2013.

My Bio Rad rep said probably early 2013. Be careful in comparing Ortho's European products because they market the BioVue there that they don't sell in the US. It uses glass beads in its columns. There is another gel card maker in Europe-Grifols, but I haven't heard that they plan to enter the US market nor do I know much about them.

My Bio Rad rep said probably early 2013. Be careful in comparing Ortho's European products because they market the BioVue there that they don't sell in the US. It uses glass beads in its columns. There is another gel card maker in Europe-Grifols, but I haven't heard that they plan to enter the US market nor do I know much about them.

Griffols seems good thy do 8 well cards rather than 6 well so you can do two 3 cell screens with a pos and neg control without having to open another. The Grouping cards have two Ds and also K which I think is fab. When our annual contract is due I'm going to seriously look into them as the technology is identical but you just get more

It seems if you use automation designed for the 6 well card, it would not handle the 8 well card, right?

It seems if you use automation designed for the 6 well card, it would not handle the 8 well card, right?

No, the Griffols have their own machine I assume. The OP said the lab is small so I assume manual gel would be done...

I see that Grifols is now marketing gel reagents and instruments in the US.  Is their mid-size instrument essentially the Provue or is it upgraded from Ortho's version or different altogether?

Hi Mabel

Where do you see the marketing info in the US on Grifols?

Bio-rad gel products and automation were submitted to the FDA in February 2014.

We belong to a multi-hospital purchasing group and they sent out some info from a Grifols rep.

Does anyone want to share experience with the Grifols Erytra automated gel instrument? They are just getting going in the US but they have been running this in Europe for some years the sales rep tells me.

Grifols bought Novartis Diagnostic division do a google of Grifols-Novartis and all the information is there.

Bio-rad gel products have been in front of the FDA for over a year. Since they brought Dia-med 6 years ago, which is the leading manufacturer of gel, (manufactured Orthos gel), they have strong and extensive gel experience and expertise. In addtion to gel cards, the submission included a floor model automated platform, and I believe a bench top centrifuge/reader and incubator. Their gel products and automated platforms are available outside the US, and a google search should pull them up.

I think BIo-Rad hopes to have FDA approval this spring to summer if I remember right.  Grifols is already approved in the US.