NEW YORK Sept. 15 (GenomeWeb News) – Althea Technologies of San Diego said today it has been granted a US patent covering its “eXpress” PCR-based gene expression profiling technology.
The patent, No. 6,618,679, is entitled “Methods for Analysis of Gene Expression,” was granted Sept, 9. It covers not only methods, but also kits to enable gene expression profiling, as well as collection of gene expression data and relational data analysis. The methods, according to the patent “are highly highly sensitive; have a wide dynamic range; are rapid and inexpensive; have a high throughput; and allow the simultaneous differential analysis of a defined set of genes.”
The eXpress technology uses rtPCR to monitor tens to hundreds of genes at a time, the company said, and can be used with as little as several nanograms of total RNA and off-the shelf reagents.