Agilent Introduces the NovoStation Sample Preparation System for Automated Flow Cytometry Workflows

A validation workflow involving 30 samples required 7.9 minutes of operator time, compared with 85.5 minutes manually.

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Automated platform helps laboratories simplify sample preparation and move seamlessly to data acquisition

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today announced the launch of the NovoStation Sample Preparation System, a new automated platform designed to help laboratories simplify and streamline flow cytometry sample preparation. When paired with a NovoCyte flow cytometer and NovoExpress software, NovoStation offers an integration-ready solution that enables a hands-free sample-to-answer workflow, helping scientists spend less time preparing samples and more time interpreting results.

Flow cytometry laboratories are under increasing pressure to process more samples, support more complex assays, and deliver reliable results across multiple users, instruments, and sites. As higher-throughput workflows become more common in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, contract research, core laboratory, and academic settings, manual sample preparation can introduce bottlenecks, variability, and training challenges that slow research and affect data quality.

NovoStation addresses these challenges through automation built for flow cytometry sample preparation. The system automates onboard reagent cocktailing and sample washing, and integrates directly with compatible Agilent flow cytometers, allowing laboratories to move from preparation to acquisition within a single connected workflow. By reducing manual variability, NovoStation helps generate reproducible data that scientists can trust for critical research and development decisions, while simplified setup, operation, and training make it easier to standardize workflows across labs and teams.

NovoStation supports more efficient flow cytometry workflows by automating labor-intensive sample preparation steps. In validation studies, the system reduced hands-on time by more than 90% while maintaining data quality comparable to manual processing. For example, a 25-color immunophenotyping workflow involving 30 samples required just 7.9 minutes of operator time compared with 85.5 minutes manually. Similar efficiencies were demonstrated in a kappa/lambda light chain assay, where automation reduced hands-on time from 89.4 minutes to 6.8 minutes.

“At Agilent, we are committed to advancing laboratory productivity through end-to-end workflow automation that enables scientists to generate high-quality data with greater confidence," said Knut Wintergerst, vice president and general manager of the Cell and Biomolecular Analysis Division at Agilent. "NovoStation builds on Agilent's longstanding expertise in flow cytometry and laboratory automation, extending integrated workflow automation to flow cytometry to improve efficiency, consistency, and workflow simplicity, while enabling researchers to focus on scientific innovation.”

Agilent will officially unveil the NovoStation Sample Preparation System at the International Clinical Cytometry Society (ICCS) 2026 conference in Miami, Florida, taking place Oct. 2-6, 2026.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: A) is a global leader in analytical and clinical laboratory technologies, delivering insights and innovation that help our customers bring great science to life. Agilent’s full range of solutions includes instruments, software, services, and expertise that provide trusted answers to our customers' most challenging questions. The company generated revenue of $6.95 billion in fiscal year 2025 and employs approximately 18,000 people worldwide. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com. To receive the latest Agilent news, subscribe to the Agilent Newsroom. Follow Agilent on LinkedIn and Facebook.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20261001685603/en/

MEDIA CONTACT:
Christian Colón
+1 302-867-4117
christian.colon@agilent.com

Source: Agilent Technologies Inc.

Key Terms

flow cytometry technical

A laboratory method that uses lasers and sensors to count and analyze individual cells or tiny particles as they flow past a detector, like a high‑speed supermarket scanner that reads barcodes on each item. Investors care because flow cytometry is widely used in drug development, diagnostics and manufacturing quality control; demand for the instruments, reagents and services can signal progress in clinical programs, recurring revenue streams and adoption of new therapies or tests.

immunophenotyping medical

Immunophenotyping is a lab method that identifies and counts different types of immune cells by detecting unique proteins on their surfaces, like reading name tags on cells. For investors, it matters because it helps developers show which patients are likely to benefit, track whether a therapy is hitting its target, and spot safety issues early—information that can reduce clinical trial risk and guide commercial prospects.

kappa/lambda light chain assay medical

A kappa/lambda light chain assay is a laboratory immunoassay that measures the amounts of free (unbound) immunoglobulin light chains — kappa and lambda — in blood (or sometimes urine). Clinicians use the two results together (the kappa-to-lambda ratio) to detect and follow monoclonal plasma‑cell disorders: an excess of one light‑chain type or an abnormal ratio indicates production of a single clone of plasma cells. The test specifically measures free light chains, not intact antibodies, and results can be affected by kidney function; different assay methods exist and their numeric results are not always directly interchangeable.