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Strategic Review

Investment Presentation

August 2006

Innovations in Microfluidic Technologies

Mike Hawes – Dolomite Microfluidics

Overview

• Overview of Dolomite

• Introduction to µEncapsulator

• Encapsulation of single cells in

picolitre droplets

• Introduction to Fluidic Factory

• A new 3D printer for microfluidics

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About Dolomite

Dolomite is the world leader in design and manufacture of

high quality innovative microfluidic products.

• Modular microfluidic systems, modules, components and

custom design products: pumps, chips, connectors, temperature

controllers, sensors,accessories and software for analysis or

automation

• Design and manufacture of custom-made components or

modules to exactly match a customer’s requirement

µEncapsulator 1

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• Integrated microfluidic system for encapsulating cells

• Encapuslates hundreds of thousands of cells in picolitre droplets in 1 hour

• This enables analysis of single cells rather than a population average

• Ideal for:

• Discovery of new cells

• Discovery of new antibodies

• Counting antibodies

• Analysing expressed proteins

• Close to zero waste of precious samples

• Simple to use

mEncapsulator 1 system

100 mm

100 mm

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

0 mins 7 mins 14 mins

Stable cell encapsulation rate, few ‘doubles’

1 cell 2+ cells

Reliably encapsulating single cells with mRNA capture beads

• Enables very high throughput single cell RT-PCR

• e.g., antibody isolation

e.g., encapsulation of beads & cells

bead

lymphocyte

50 mm

bead

lymphocyte

Agarose beads for mEncapsulation

• Agarose is attractive for encapsulation

• Enabled by precise temperature control in mEncapsulator 1

• 50 mm agarose beads formed with low gelling temperature agarose

100 mm

100 mm

• Robust temperature control allows encapsulation at mild temperatures

Temperature controller

mEncapsulator

Oil

Oil

mEncapsulator 1 system

Two chips:

• Droplet chip

• Sample reservoir chip

cells

beads

Pico-Surf

Droplet outlet

ports

Droplet chip Sample reservoir chip Droplet junction

cells

beads

Pico-Surf

Droplet outlet

Oil

Oil

Droplet chip

Sample reservoir chip

Fluidic Factory

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Fluidic Factory

• Fluidic Factory is the world’s first commercially available 3D printer

for quick and easy fabrication of fluidically sealed devices.

• Design your own microfluidic chips, manifolds, connectors etc. OR

Select from the design library

• Print for as little as €1 per chip

• COC polymer (FDA approved, robust and translucent).

• The intelligent printer ensures fluidic paths are sealed and features

an upgradable print head, bed and software for future functionality.

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Free flow of creativity

• Accelerate innovation cycle from weeks or months down to days or

hours.

• Fluidic Factory uses FDM (Fused Deposition Modelling) method

• Material selection - COC (FDA approved material)

• Improved resolution limits

• Useful for Dolomite customers – fluidic sealing!

• 3D printing method

• Fused deposition selected over laser sintering or stereo-

lithography due to best compromise of:

Cost of unit

Cost per model

Resolution

Speed

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Fluidic Factory – Introduction

Functional heads

• Switchable Functional Heads

• Fused deposition head – 3D printing (currently available)

• Viscous fluid deposition head – bioprinting, organ on a chip

(future development)

• Micromilling head – subtractive machining (future development)

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Fluidic Factory – Benefits

• Unique method (patent pending) for sealing – High temperature

and high pressure in print zone.

• Fluidically sealed devices – creates leak free internal flow paths

and hardware innovatively re-melts contact points ensuring sealing.

• Unique designs – 3D mixing chips, non-rectilinear chips, features

with not possible with any other method of machining.

• Fast – Very little time and skill required to setup printer, and quick to

print chips.

• Biocompatible – COC being a hard and translucent FDA approved

polymer for implantables is ideal for prototyping devices.

• Flexible – Create your own design or select from a wide range of

devices in the print file library.

• Low cost – Print chips for as low as €1 per chip.

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Workflow - Quick design iteration

• Universal file format connectivity – CAD model exported as .stl

file

• PC software – Fluidic Factory PC software accepts .stl files and

converts them to .phff (print head Fluidic Factory) file.

• Print file – .phff file is transferred via SD card or USB device from

PC to Fluidic Factory.

• Touch screen – The GUI on the touch screen of the Fluidic Factory

enables selection of print file. 15

3D CAD model

.stl file Print file Export

Import to FF PC

software

Transfer via SD card

to FF

FabricationConcept, test,

optimize

Test, optimize

Application Concept

Prototype Application

User Interface

• Two UI’s

• PC Software

A few mouse click-throughs

.stl .phff

Export .phff to external memory device

• GUI on Fluidic Factory

Insert SD or USB device into FF

Touch screen scroll and select print file

Stop, start and menu options.

Run-time information display.

Fluidic factory status information.

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Designing a droplet chip

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Slicing CAD Model (Performed by FF PC software)

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Fluidic Factory – Applications

• Applications

• Point of care diagnostics

• Chemical synthesis

• Droplets, emulsions, mixing

• Rapid prototyping/Manufacturing

• Sensor cartridge design

• Fluid manifold

• Reactors

• Medium volume scale-up

• Many more, everybody who works with fluidic

devices!

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Droplet Microfluidics

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Case Study – Y-Junction Microfluidic Chip

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Case study detail • Material: COC • Chip Size: 15 x 22 x 4

mm • Print time: 60 min • Chip cost: £5 • Chip operating temp: 0 –

65° C • Pressure rating: 2 bar • Translucent • Multiflux® compatible

Capabilities – Microfluidic Chips

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• Planar devices and non-planar devices

• Ability to use with Dolomite’s leading Multiflux®

connectors and interfaces

Creating Multiflux® compatible devices

• Easy to use: no tools are required

• Quick solution: a reliable leak-free connection can be made in

seconds

• Multi-way connection: interconnection of many tubes at once in a

high density format

• Simple and robust: tube-to-chip and tube-to-tube connections

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Specifications

24 Specifications are based on testing Beta prototype, may change for final release.

• Fluidic Factory

• Size - 300 x 300 x 500 mm

• Weight – 10 kg

• Printed devices

• FDA approved – COC (cyclic olefin copolymer)

• 85mm (l) x 50mm (w) x 30mm (h)

• Fiber size

Fine printing mode – 320μm (w) x 125μm (h)

Fast printing mode – 400μm (w) x 200μm (h)

• Print time

20mins (small 15 x 15 x 2 mm)

1hr (medium 20 x 15 x 4 mm)

24hr (large 85 x 50 x 30 mm)

Specifications

• Channel dimension printed as low as 200 µm

• Surface roughness

• Integral multiple of fiber height across channel

• Fiber smoothness along channel

• Maximum pressure rating expected to be as high 10 bar, subject to

chip design.

• Maximum operating temperature of printed devices is up to 70 °C

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Summary

• World’s first and only commercially available 3D printer for fluidic devices

• Build from inside out e.g. all other 3d printers focus on external form and

errors occur internally

• System works with attractive materials for life science research (COC)

• Workflow allows rapid prototyping

• Devices can be printed for very low cost

• Excellent reproducibility

• Timeline:

• Previewed at µTAS

• We are currently selecting winners of our Beta user program

• Launch in March (deliveries to first customers in April)

• Fluidic Factory has the ability to change the way your research is performed !!

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