Live from West Palm Beach: Key Takeaways from CYTO '26 (WAT, DHR, BIO & Others)

Research evidence excerpt

Live from West Palm Beach: Key Takeaways from CYTO '26 (WAT, DHR, BIO & Others)

USA | Life Science Tools & Diagnostics EquityJuneResearch9, 2026

Live from West Palm Beach: Key Takeaways

from CYTO '26 (WAT, DHR, BIO & Others)

We attended CYTO in West Palm Beach, where we met with leading flow

cytometry companies. The mood was upbeat, given a slate of new instruments

(WAT's FACSDiscover A7, Cytek's Borealis). WAT's A7 (launching in mid-

September) is seeing early interest with a focus on standardization, while DHR's

CytoFLEX platform has seen solid momentum (strong nano adoption); BIO's

ZE5 continues to win on automation; and Agilent is expanding its presence in

flow via Novostation.

Waters. The BD FACSDiscover A7 Cell Analyzer was showcased, with launch slated for mid-

September and early order momentum tracking well across geographies and end markets (A&G,

biopharma, and some clinical). A7 is positioned as a mid-tier, accessible system ($200-300k, 30%

cheaper than the A8), with WAT emphasizing the spectral FX technology, ease-of-use, and improved

standardization/reproducibility, with throughput (35k events per second) broadly in line with best-in-

class systems. WAT views A7 as a volume driver targeting pent-up demand with a smaller footprint,

while the broader strategy will leverage e-commerce and a reagent rental model to drive recurring

revenue with software updates expected to shorten replacement cycles over time (potentially less

than 7-10 years vs. 15 years).

Agilent. The NovoStation automated sample prep system (launching late summer 2026) helps

expand Agilent's presence in flow cytometry, and can operate standalone or bundled with third-

party flow cytometers. NovoStation is priced roughly in line with the cytometer itself, with early