Purchase of Proteograph reagents ans SP100 Automation Instrument with XT

Turku Bioscience Centre intends to purchase Seer Proteograph reagents for deep discovery proteomics from 160 samples. Seer's special expertise is in nanoparticles, which are used to enrich proteins. The surface structure of the nanoparticles allows for protein enrichment without prior knowledge of the proteins to be enriched, making them suitable for a wide range of samples. In comparative studies, Seer's method has proven to be reproducible and unique in terms of performance. Seer's reagents are not available from others, and its closest competitors are not suitable for e.g. cell lysate samples. These combined unique properties are related to the particles: • Enrichment of low-abundance and previously undetected proteins. • Compatibility and demonstrated increase in the number of identified proteins from a wide range of samples including serum, plasma, cell culture media, and cell lysates. • Compatibility with samples from different species These properties distinguish Seer's method from affinity proteomics solutions of other possible provider´s reagents, making it the only suitable solution for research in question: • Compatibility with non-human samples • Seer’s method can be integrated into existing mass spectrometry-based workflows in Turku Bioscience Centre • Turku Bioscience Centre´s previous research was performed also with Seer reagents and to ensure comparability, the reagents must be from the same source. Seer Proteograph reagents are proprietary and compatible with Seer Proteograph system, which is the only solution in the market that meets all the necessary technical requirements to fulfil the uncompromising needs of the acquiring department as previously described. Reagents are planned to be used together with Seer SP100 Automation Instrument. Seer reagents require a special Seer instrument, SP100 Automation Instrument with XT, the only compatible with previously listed reagents. The instrument has the locked software, which was developed by SEER. The robot itself is manufactured by Hamilton, but ready-made control software for performing the SEER Proteograph protocol is not available anywhere else. The method is complex, and among other things, utilizes barcoded information on reagent tubes and containers, so its implementation with some generic laboratory automation is not practically possible.

Turku Bioscience Centre intends to purchase Seer Proteograph reagents for deep discovery proteomics from 160 samples. Seer's special expertise is in nanoparticles, which are used to enrich proteins. The surface structure of the nanoparticles allows for protein enrichment without prior knowledge of the proteins to be enriched, making them suitable for a wide range of samples. In comparative studies, Seer's method has proven to be reproducible and unique in terms of performance. Seer's reagents are not available from others, and its closest competitors are not suitable for e.g. cell lysate samples. These combined unique properties are related to the particles: • Enrichment of low-abundance and previously undetected proteins. • Compatibility and demonstrated increase in the number of identified proteins from a wide range of samples including serum, plasma, cell culture media, and cell lysates. • Compatibility with samples from different species These properties distinguish Seer's method from affinity proteomics solutions of other possible provider´s reagents, making it the only suitable solution for research in question: • Compatibility with non-human samples • Seer’s method can be integrated into existing mass spectrometry-based workflows in Turku Bioscience Centre • Turku Bioscience Centre´s previous research was performed also with Seer reagents and to ensure comparability, the reagents must be from the same source. Seer Proteograph reagents are proprietary and compatible with Seer Proteograph system, which is the only solution in the market that meets all the necessary technical requirements to fulfil the uncompromising needs of the acquiring department as previously described. Reagents are planned to be used together with Seer SP100 Automation Instrument. Seer reagents require a special Seer instrument, SP100 Automation Instrument with XT, the only compatible with previously listed reagents. The instrument has the locked software, which was developed by SEER. The robot itself is manufactured by Hamilton, but ready-made control software for performing the SEER Proteograph protocol is not available anywhere else. The method is complex, and among other things, utilizes barcoded information on reagent tubes and containers, so its implementation with some generic laboratory automation is not practically possible. According to the Act on Public Procurement and Concession Contracts section 40, only a certain supplier can implement the procurement for a technical reason, or for a reason related to protecting an exclusive right; it shall be a further condition that there are no reasonable alternatives or substitute solutions, and that the absence of competition is not due to an artificial narrowing of the terms and conditions of the procurement.