Cambridge, Mass.— Lightcast Discovery has announced the limited commercial release of its Envisia™ benchtop platform, a new droplet-based single-cell functional analysis system aimed at accelerating antibody discovery and development. The platform will make its public debut at booth #711 during the 2025 PEGS Boston Summit, which runs from May 12 to 16.
Envisia leverages Lightcast’s proprietary light-controlled droplet manipulation technology to conduct precise, sequential functional assays at the single-cell level. Unlike traditional techniques that infer function through genomic data, Envisia captures real-time cellular behavior by analyzing tens of thousands of picoliter-scale droplets in parallel. This approach enables researchers to observe cell function, apply treatments, and monitor responses, helping to identify promising antibody candidates early in the development process.
“The Lightcast Envisia platform is truly one of a kind,” said Dr. Toon Swings, Technology Expert at VIB. “We are able to track cell behavior, administer treatments, and monitor responses over time, which helps identify and select cells of interest for downstream studies.”
Lightcast CEO Dr. Paul Loeffen said the unveiling at PEGS represents a turning point for the company. “This limited product release marks a major milestone as we shift from technology development to customer-driven deployment,” he said. “Researchers can secure early access to gain a first-mover advantage and uncover functional insights that will drive the next generation of biologics and cell-based therapies.”
New data from early pharmaceutical and academic collaborators participating in Lightcast’s technology access program will also be presented at the conference. In addition to antibody discovery, the company sees broader applications for Envisia in immunology, oncology, and cell-cell interaction research.
