The result of that partnership is the Pathfinder™ – a compact, automated benchtop system that integrates Micropore’s proven AXF™mini technology with Labman’s expertise in bespoke automation and intelligent control. Together, the two companies have created a tool that’s reshaping how nucleic acid therapeutics, vaccines, and nanoparticle formulations are developed.
Meeting a growing need for smarter formulation tools
Before teaming up with Labman, Micropore identified a gap in the market for a high-throughput, low-waste solution that could accelerate the discovery and development of nanoparticle-based products.
The Pathfinder was born out of this vision, coupling Micropore’s membrane emulsification expertise with Labman’s automation engineering to create a truly intuitive discovery and development platform.
A partnership built on innovation and local collaboration
Micropore sought out Labman for their deep experience in laboratory automation and shared northeast UK roots. From the outset, the partnership was defined by open communication and joint problem-solving.
Working closely together, both teams focused on customisation, precision, and usability - developing an automation system that would not only enhance Micropore’s product line but deliver tangible benefits to end users in R&D and production environments alike.
Pathfinder: Compact, capable and transformative
The Pathfinder offers researchers unprecedented flexibility through two key operating modes; Discover and Develop.
• In Discover Mode, users can achieve ultra-low waste and sample volumes, with start-up waste as little as 400 μL and sample sizes down to 200 μL.
• In Develop Mode, the same system scales up to 250 mL, maintaining consistency from DOE screening through to clinical production on a single device.
This versatility, enabled by Labman’s precision automation and Micropore’s formulation expertise, delivers high throughput screening of up to 96 samples in under a minute, with no waste produced during runs. The intuitive software interface designed in collaboration with Labman allows real-time monitoring, data sharing, and streamlined workflow management – ensuring experiments can progress efficiently and reproducibly.
Expanding capabilities: from Pathfinder to Horizon™
Building on the success of the Pathfinder, the collaboration continues through RAPIDD, an Innovate UK–funded initiative with CPI to develop the Horizon™ system. Designed for continuous production and enhanced throughput, Horizon extends the Pathfinder’s capabilities into GMP-ready manufacturing.
Unlike traditional high-pressure systems, the Horizon operates at high throughput but low pressure, maintaining the same consistent performance as the AXF-mini. With flow rates ranging from 3–450 mL/min, it offers closed-loop control, portability, and chemical resistance, all within a compact, interchangeable design.
This seamless transition from lab-scale to production-scale, without the need for tech transfer, is a major advancement for formulation development.
Driving the industry forward
The impact of the Pathfinder and Horizon systems reaches beyond Micropore’s customer base. Through partnerships like the MILORNA Innovate UK grant with the University of Strathclyde, researchers are already using the Pathfinder for lipid nanoparticle production — a key technology underpinning next-generation therapeutics and vaccines.
With reduced waste, greater reproducibility, and effortless scalability, the collaborative technologies developed by Labman and Micropore are setting a new benchmark for formulation science and automated process development.
A shared vision for the future
For both Micropore and Labman, this collaboration exemplifies what’s possible when engineering innovation meets scientific ambition.
As the Horizon system moves towards full deployment, both teams continue to explore new opportunities to make advanced formulation automation more accessible, more sustainable, and more capable than ever before.