NEW YORK, Feb 27 – Sequenom has released a new version of its MassEXTEND assay that eliminates sample transfers, the company said Tuesday.
The new product, called the homogeneous MassEXTEND, or hME, assay, is part of a larger automated system for analyzing SNPs called MassARRAY that includes a mass spectrometer, dispensing unit, and software interface.
“The hME assay improves on this product by integrating all of the reactions on a single surface without compromising accuracy,” Charlie Rodi, Sequenom vice president of molecular biology and manager of corporate research, said in a statement.
The hME assay is also designed to work with Sequenom’s 384 SpectroCHIP, a two by three centimeter silicon chip containing 384 sites preloaded with a MALDI matrix. “This significantly decreases the sample volumes required, thereby reducing the consumption of materials and the cost per sample,” said Rodi.
On Monday, Sequenom and the Genomics Research Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation said they would collaborate on a SNP study of the mouse genome. As part of the deal, Novartis agreed to buy a MassARRAY system from Sequenom.