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Shimadzu Corporation has acquired a 75% stake of the outstanding shares of German startup Plasmion GmbH (headquartered in Augsburg, Bavaria) on March 23, making the company a subsidiary. This acquisition aims to obtain Plasmion’s mass spectrometer (MS) ion source technology SICRIT（Soft Ionization by Chemical Reaction In Transfer）^※ and related technologies to strengthen Shimadzu’s MS business.

SICRIT is a groundbreaking technology that overcomes the limitations of the widely used APCI (atmospheric pressure chemical ionization) method in liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) and similar applications. Its chief feature is the ability to directly ionize analytes with high sensitivity without complex sample pretreatment, enabling high-sensitivity real-time analysis that was previously difficult. It is already being used in applications such as the search for disease markers in exhaled breath in the healthcare field, monitoring trace hazardous substances in the environment, and non-destructive analysis of aroma components in food and beverages.

Shimadzu and Plasmion have been collaborating since 2019 through exchanges of technical information, lending of Shimadzu products, and development of SICRIT applications. Plasmion’s founders, CEO Dr. Thomas Wolf and CTO Dr. Jan-Christoph Wolf, will continue to hold 25% of the company’s shares and remain involved in management. Shimadzu will develop next-generation mass spectrometers by integrating the SICRIT technology with its MS-related technologies.

• ※ SICRIT is a registered trademark of Plasmion.

Photo: Plasmion's SICRIT ion source connection module (left) and an ultra-high performance liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer with the ion source attached (right)

Overview of Plasmion GmbH