Spartan Bioscience is using a consumer-friendly marketing push to introduce its signature product, the world’s first personal DNA analyzer.
The privately held company from Ottawa, Canada, is touting its new product, called Spartan DX, as a faster, more convenient alternative to “slow and expensive” mainframe-style DNA machines. The real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) DNA analyzer, which provides results in 30 minutes or less for four samples at a time, costs $14,995. And if you buy before September 30, Spartain will throw in a free iPod nano!
The free iPod isn’t the only evidence that the folks at Spartan are inspired by Apple’s Steve Jobs. They envision Spartan DX doing for science what the personal computer has done for consumers. “In the same way that mainframe computers gave rise to personal computers, mainframe DNA machines are giving rise to personal DNA analyzers,” said Spartan CEO Paul Lem, in a statement. “DNA is in every organism on the planet and there will be major benefits as DNA testing becomes widely available.”