Luminex, Genospectra to Co-Market Quantitative Gene-expression Platform

WASHINGTON, DC, Dec. 8 (GenomeWeb News) - Luminex and Genospectra have penned a partnership designed to better enable researchers to detect and quantify mRNA in cells, GenomeWeb News has learned.

The agreement, which has not yet been announced, will see Genospectra apply Luminex' bead-based fluorescence-detection system to its QuantiGene cell-based gene expression-profiling assays, Grant Gibson, director of technical marketing for Luminex, said yesterday at the American Society for Cell Biology meeting, held here this week.

Gibson said the collaboration represents "the first application of Luminex' technology for quantitative gene-expression" applications.

QuanitGene is based on branched DNA technology, in which a molecular probe has many branches of DNA on one end, and an oligonucleotide probe molecule on the other end designed to bind a specific target. For QuantiGene, the target is mRNA in fresh cell lysates, tissue samples, or archived paraffin-embedded tissues.

The branched DNA is currently detected with a chemiluminescent probe, which allows for sensitive detection of minute quantities of RNA without the need to perform PCR.

In combination with Luminex' platform, Gibson said, the branched DNA would be detected using multi-colored Luminex beads that are subsequently read on the company's Luminex 100 instrument, which is expected to enable highly multiplexed assays and sensitive detection capabilities.

Gibson characterized the relationship as being similar to almost all of Luminex' other agreements. "We typically don't sell instruments directly to customers, but instead partner with specific application providers that have validated the platform with their technology."

Luminex will co-market the product with Genospectra, and will receive royalty fees stemming from sales of the combined platform, Gibson said.

Separately today, Luminex said it will hold a web-based conference call this afternoon to provide investors and analysts with an "overview of its corporate strategy."

CEO and President Patrick Balthrop and Harriss Currie, vice president finance and CFO, "will update investors on the company's markets, strategy, and action plans," Luminex said in a statement.