In pharmaceutical research, it is extremely important to perform isolate and identify the protein that is the target of a drug (compound) in vivo. However in the past, isolation and identification of the drug target protein were extremely difficult, and were a problem which required large amounts of time and effort. In order to overcome this problem, through joint research with Professor Hiroshi Handa at the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Tamagawa Seiki has developed the new nanomagnetic particles "FG beads^®" and the automated screening system "Target Angler".

FG beads^®, are approximately 0.2 μm in diameter and are composed of a plurality ferrite particles coated with a unique polymer called poly-GMA (glycidyl methacrylate). FG beads^®, that are manufactured by using this original technology, are used as a carrier for affinity purification and provide characteristics that are superior to conventional carriers, allowing one-step purification of the target proteins. The development of an automated screening system, that magnetically separates and disperses FG beads®, makes it possible to automate the affinity purification process. Concequently, the simultaneous process of multiple samples and time shortening of the process are enabled.