Press Releases

(SANYO Biomedical Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan, (distributed by SANYO Biomedical, Bensenville, IL) today announced that the integrated ultraviolet technology (UV) behind its Active Background Contamination Control™ cell culture incubator system has been granted U.S. Patent No. 6,255,103.

Marketed as SafeCell™, the new UV technology is central to the SANYO MCO-20AIC cell culture CO2 incubator designed to protect in vitro cell cultures from contamination while minimizing incubator downtime. The SafeCell™ integrated contamination control technique is effective against airborne organisms including mycoplasma, bacteria, molds, yeasts, spores and fungi, as well as thermophilic and hyperthermophilic contaminants that can survive high-heat decontamination cycles.

The system employs a combination of ultraviolet light, copper-enriched stainless steel interior surfaces and a directional airflow technique to discourage growth of unwanted organisms in the incubator while allowing the cell culture process to continue without interruption. It avoids or eliminates conventional contamination control methods such as elevated heat cycles, internally mounted HEPA scrubber filters and frequent manual cleaning. A narrow-bandwidth UV lamp emits ultraviolet light at 253.7nm, safely beyond wavelengths that generate ozone byproducts toxic to cells.

The SANYO technology is one of several patents the company has claimed in conjunction with the development of a new generation in CO2 incubators for critical cell culture applications. Another patented technology, the Direct Heat Air (DHA) heating system, eliminates the need for a water jacket and provides accurate temperature control, quick recovery and uniform stability critical to maintenance of repeatable cell culture conditions.

SANYO Electric Biomedical Co., Ltd., is a global leader in the development of laboratory equipment for pharmaceutical, life science and biotechnology applications. Product lines include space-efficient V.I.P.™ ultra-low temperature freezers, cryogenic freezers, biomedical, pharmacy and medical refrigerators, cell culture incubators, orbital incubators and centrifuges. SANYO Electric Biomedical Co., Ltd., is headquartered in Osaka, Japan, and distributed in the U.S. by SANYO Biomedical, Bensenville, IL. For product information, call SANYO Biomedical at (800) 858-8442.

Contact: Chris Stannard, cstannard@sss.sanyo.com