Insights – INDICAL BIOSCIENCE

Simple and smart next-level PRRSV vaccine monitoring is here.

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) inflicts severe economic damage on the pork industry every year; causing respiratory illness in piglets and reproductive failure in sows. Early detection and targeted control are essential.

At INDICAL, we’re excited to launch the innovative virotype PRRSV EU Vax RT-PCR Kit, for detection and differentiation of major PRRSV-1 vaccines in a fast, accurate and cost-effective manner. Used in combination with the virotype PRRSV 2.0 RT-PCR Kit, it delivers a smarter way to DIVA and confirm vaccination status, saving time and money in the lab and supporting confident herd health decisions.

Learn more about the product here.

But every veterinary lab works a little differently. That’s why our updated Extraction Portfolio Overview brings together INDICAL’s broad range of DNA/RNA extraction products and workflow options for veterinary diagnostics, from manual spin-column extraction kits to prefilled cartridges to the IndiMag 2 benchtop platform for automated magnetic bead-based nucleic acid extraction.

One chemistry. Any throughput.
Whether processing a handful of swabs or several hundred samples per day, our portfolio supports a broad range of veterinary sample types, workflows, and throughput needs. Explore available extraction formats and platforms, including the IndiMag 2 automated extraction platform, IndiMag Pathogen bottled reagents and prefilled cartridge formats, and virotype Tissue Lysis Reagent for rapid preparation of PCR-ready lysates.

📖 View the updated Extraction Portfolio Overview here
📖 También disponible en español

Developing a next-generation DNA/RNA extraction system takes more than just great engineering. It takes listening to real lab challenges and designing solutions that truly fit. That’s exactly what went into the creation of IndiMag 2, INDICAL’s latest magnetic bead-based system for high-quality DNA and RNA extraction.

We spoke with Dr. Ansgar Flammersfeld, Global Product Manager at INDICAL, to learn more about what sets IndiMag 2 apart, why flexibility was a top priority, and how this system is helping labs work more efficiently than ever.

Q: What inspired the development of IndiMag 2, and how does it improve upon other lab extraction systems?

We understood that labs today face increasing pressure to work faster, more accurately, and with greater flexibility. IndiMag 2 was inspired by the need for a solution that doesn’t just simplify nucleic acid extraction, but also integrates seamlessly into labs’ unique workflows. We listened to our users’ needs and the result is a system that adapts to their protocols, whether they’re using our prefilled cartridges or their own reagents.

We designed IndiMag 2 to support both ready-made and custom protocols, giving labs the freedom to streamline processes without sacrificing performance. With its versatile functionality, improved throughput, and streamlined integration, it makes nucleic acid extraction faster, more reliable, and easier to handle day-to-day.

Q: What are your personal favorite features of IndiMag 2, and why do you think they matter to users?

Honestly, it’s not just one feature—it’s how everything comes together that makes IndiMag 2 such a great fit for molecular labs. The system is really designed to meet the practical needs of users, and it shows in the details.

If I had to pick, I’d say one thing I really love is the design—especially the color and the LED status light. It might sound simple, but it actually brings some color and life into labs. In an environment that’s typically pretty sterile and monochrome, that touch of design makes a surprising difference.

Another big plus is the flexibility of the plastic consumables. They’re designed to adapt to different protocols and specific lab needs, which makes the system really versatile. For example, the direct storable elution tubes: You don’t need to transfer the eluate to another tube after the extraction. That saves time and reduces the risk of errors or contamination from extra pipetting steps—and it also means less plastic waste.

Q: How do the prefilled cartridges complement the IndiMag 2 system, and what advantages do they offer for lab workflows?

Our prefilled cartridges are preloaded, sealed plastic units that contain all the necessary reagents for a complete extraction run. You simply load them into the instrument, and you’re ready to go—no need for manual reagent handling. They’re a perfect match for IndiMag 2. They significantly reduce preparation time and ensure consistency across runs, which is especially important in high-throughput settings. By minimizing manual steps, they help lower the risk of errors and improve overall efficiency. For labs looking to optimize resources, they also help reduce plastic waste and simplify logistics, since the reagents are already preloaded and quality-controlled.

Q: What types of labs or diagnostic settings benefit most from using IndiMag 2, and how can it help them streamline their workflows?

While IndiMag 2 is a great fit for veterinary diagnostics, it’s by no means limited to that field. It’s a versatile DNA/RNA extraction instrument that can support a wide range of applications, from veterinary and food safety testing to broader molecular diagnostics and research. Any lab that needs consistent, high-quality nucleic acid extraction can benefit from IndiMag 2. Its flexibility, ease of use, and ability to handle both ready-to-run and custom protocols can really help streamline workflows across diverse lab environments.

DISCOVER INDIMAG 2

Everyone knows how challenging the last 2 years have been, as we navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. So, reuniting almost all our ‘flamingos’ – from around 20 countries – was really something to celebrate. That and the 4th anniversary of INDICAL BIOSCIENCE, which we marked with a big summer party!

Our main event was held at the Rennbahn Scheibenholz – Leipzig’s oldest sports facility that is still in use today. In the course of its long history, the venue has brought together countless people from different nations to meet, compete and have fun. So, it felt natural to hold part of our celebration there.

It was a wonderful day, filled with positive energy and fun. Our flamingos showed they have many hidden talents and we created so many great moments together, including team dragon boat sprints on the nearby Elster and Pleiße rivers, table tennis, team games and dancing at Scheibenholz.

We were delighted to be joined by Fredrik Ullman, Group CEO at Vimian and Stefano Santarelli, CEO of INDICAL who thanked colleagues from all our sites and departments for being part of the incredible INDICAL journey.

With such great spirit and energy, we know our mission to continually improve veterinary diagnostics for better animal and human health is in safe hands.

Fancy being an INDICAL flamingo?
Open positions in our incredible teams can be found here.

African swine fever (ASF) is a notifiable, contagious viral hemorrhagic disease of swine, responsible for high mortality and serious economic losses. In this paper, researchers from the Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut (FLI) aimed to simplify and standardize the molecular diagnostic workflow in the lab using prefilled, ready-to-use IndiMag Pathogen Cartridges for nucleic acid extraction prior to (real-time) PCR.

The study concluded that using prefilled cartridges for DNA extraction does not reduce diagnostic sensitivity. Indeed, minimization of manual handling and increased hands-off time delivered by prefilled IndiMag Pathogen Cartridges for extraction and qPCR can reduce the risk of false-negative and -positive results, especially in high-throughput scenarios.