MilliporeSigma, Burlington, Mass, has entered into an agreement with HistoCyte Laboratories Ltd, Tyne, UK, and will be the exclusive multinational distributor of the company’s portfolio of cell line reference products for immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

“This collaboration gives customers a cost-effective and practical solution to the problem of tissue heterogeneity,” says Jean-Charles Wirth, head of applied solutions at MilliporeSigma. “These reference materials strengthen MilliporeSigma’s pathology portfolio and provide a robust and standardized means for customers to achieve greater confidence in their analyses.”

Under the agreement, MilliporeSigma will employ its sales, marketing, and e-commerce expertise to distribute HistoCyte Laboratories’ comprehensive range of pathology slide controls in the United States and other select geographies. Outside of these select geographies, HistoCyte Laboratories will continue to reach customers via its own channels. The companies did not disclose financial details.

According to Wirth, the unique cell preparations from HistoCyte Laboratories are not typical cell line preparations. HistoCyte Laboratories’ slides mimic tissue morphology and protein expression more closely than the average cell line slide product.

“This is important in pathology and clinical research labs where standardized tissue preparations may be in short supply, causing issues for reliable analysis and diagnosis as well as cost,” notes Wirth.

The controls will be available in cell microarray blocks, which enable them to fit more easily into laboratory workflows and render them a more cost-effective standardized material for routine laboratories.

The founders of HistoCyte Laboratories have more than 30 years of experience in the in vitro diagnostics industry. “We are excited to have our products available and brand promoted within the United States and beyond by MilliporeSigma,” says Colin Tristram, cofounder of HistoCyte Laboratories. “It allows us to focus on our direct market in the United Kingdom and Ireland as well as concentrate on further product development.”

MilliporeSigma’s collaboration with HistoCyte Laboratories immediately expands the UK-based company’s global reach. Moreover, HistoCyte Laboratories will gain access into the US pathology market.

To learn more, visit HistoCyte Laboratories and MilliporeSigma.