IonOpticks launches Aurora Series® 5 and new CoreJet™ emitter technology, advancing robust nano-LC for routine proteomics research.

New CoreJet^™ integrated emitter technology and a redesigned nanoZero^® union combine proven Aurora Series^® performance with a step-change in robustness, lowering cost per sample without compromising the depth and sensitivity researchers depend

on.

MELBOURNE, Australia, Sept. 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- IonOpticks, the world's leading manufacturer of high-performance chromatography solutions for LC-MS-based proteomics, today announces the release of Aurora Series 5: the most significant robustness upgrade in the platform's history. In extended testing on a Thermo Scientific Vanquish Neo UHPLC coupled to an Orbitrap Astral Zoom mass spectrometer, Series 5 sustained over 10,000 unique protein identifications across more than 1,000 injections on an 8-minute, 120-samples-per-day method, with no climb in backpressure beyond 1,400 runs. The result: nanoflow-level depth and sensitivity that laboratories can now run as a routine, high-throughput workflow rather than reserve for landmark experiments.

At the centre of the upgrade are two platform-wide technology developments: CoreJet integrated emitter technology and a redesigned nanoZero union. Together, they deliver more consistent backpressure, improved spray stability and greater reliability over prolonged use without trading away the performance that has established Aurora Series as a benchmark for deep and sensitive proteomics.

"Aurora Series has built its reputation on depth of coverage, sensitivity and reproducibility, but researchers increasingly need exceptional performance they can rely on every day," says Xavier Perronnet, Chief Executive Officer at IonOpticks. "With Series 5, we have combined that performance with a new level of robustness, giving laboratories the confidence to use these columns routinely across demanding workflows. This is the most significant upgrade we have made to Aurora Series, and an important step towards making exceptional chromatography the everyday standard rather than something reserved for occasional use."

CoreJet technology introduces a completely redesigned architecture for the integrated pulled emitter, a feature that has always been fundamental to the product. The high-performance CoreJet emitter is fully integrated into the analytical column, ensuring true-zero dead volume post-column and eliminating the concealed unions between column and emitter that create dead-volumes, degrade chromatographic performance and reduce analyte discovery. This new architecture is engineered to deliver substantially greater robustness, improving resistance to early clogging and overpressure events, extending column longevity and supporting prolonged use across increasingly complex sample series.

"True robustness is about more than how long a column lasts. It is about continuing to deliver the depth of coverage, sensitivity and throughput researchers expect, despite the variable and demanding conditions of everyday laboratory use," says Dr. Jarrod Sandow, Chief Product Officer at IonOpticks. "Across extended testing, Aurora Series 5 maintained its chromatographic performance through more than 1,400 injections. For researchers running everything from individual experiments to large sample cohorts, that means greater confidence that the chromatography will perform consistently, day after day."

Series 5 also introduces a redesigned nanoZero union, providing a more reliable voltage connection to the liquid passing through the column. Ensuring consistent voltage to the analytical column is essential for stable electrospray ionisation, the process that transfers molecules leaving the column into the mass spectrometer for measurement. By creating a more dependable electrical connection, the redesigned nanoZero union supports further improved spray stability over large sample cohorts while making column setup simpler and easier.

A fundamental priority underpinning Series 5 development was ensuring the new products maintained the strong column-to-column and batch-to-batch reproducibility for which Aurora Series is known. Across all testing, coefficients of variation remain below one per cent for median protein and peptide identifications, supporting consistent performance across a column's service life and from column to column. Spray stability remains similarly consistent throughout prolonged testing across both instrument platforms. On the Thermo Scientific Vanquish Neo coupled to an Orbitrap Astral Zoom, and the Bruker nanoElute 2 coupled to a timsTOF HT, extended injection series show no spray dropouts, with consistent signal maintained throughout testing. This provides further evidence that Series 5 can sustain stable ionisation and chromatography across prolonged, high-throughput use.

For laboratories processing hundreds or even thousands of samples, the value extends beyond column lifetime alone. Greater stability means fewer unexpected interruptions and column changes, less time spent troubleshooting, more effective use of valuable mass spectrometry capacity, and greater confidence that an extended experiment can continue on a consistent chromatographic platform. This translates to a meaningful reduction in laboratory overheads and helps researchers make better use of both instrument time and research budgets.

When paired with an IonOpticks NanoShield^® C18 trap column, Series 5 gains additional protection from sample-derived contamination while significantly reducing sample loading times. By protecting the analytical column from more challenging samples, NanoShield can extend Aurora Series 5 column life even further, creating a workflow that combines speed, lossless protection and high-performance chromatography with an even more compelling value proposition than established market alternatives.

Aurora Series 5 represents a shift in what laboratories can expect from high-performance nanoflow chromatography. The depth and sensitivity remain, but they are now delivered through a platform designed to withstand the demands of everyday proteomics, whether that means a landmark discovery experiment, a large-scale cohort, or the hundreds of routine injections in between.

As Series 5 replaces Aurora Series 4, IonOpticks will retain limited Series 4 stock during the transition period to support continuity for existing customers and ongoing studies. Aurora Series 5 with CoreJet integrated emitter technology is available across the range from 15 September 2026, directly from IonOpticks and through its global distribution network. 

About IonOpticks

IonOpticks is a global leader in high-performance chromatography solutions, empowering the research community to push the boundaries of LC-MS and advanced proteomics. By dramatically enhancing the sensitivity and reliability of mass spectrometry, IonOpticks enables scientists and clinicians to uncover more insights from every sample. These innovations drive discovery across diverse applications, including drug development, phosphoproteomics, shotgun proteomics, and clinical research. Trusted by leading laboratories worldwide, IonOpticks combines cutting-edge technology with a commitment to advancing biological and medical science.

For more information about IonOpticks' products and research impact, please visit www.ionopticks.com.