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Macrogen, Silicon Biosystems Menarini Ink Deal to Co-Develop CLIA-Certified Cancer Assays

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Macrogen and Silicon Biosystems Menarini announced today that they are partnering to co-develop CLIA-certified genomic tests for different cancers.

The companies plan to combine Silicon Biosystems' DEPArray digital-sorting technology with Macrogen's high-throughput whole-genome, whole-exome, and targeted sequencing systems to resolve cellular heterogeneity of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) biopsies and fine-needle aspiration (FNA) samples.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Pure cells provide exact answers about all kinds of genomic variation and instability from the level of targeted cancer panels up to the whole genome level. … Furthermore, through DEPArray sorting we can help rescue samples with a very low number of tumor cells, like FNAs and low-cellularity FFPE," said Silicon CEO Giuseppe Giorgini in a statement. "We believe that Macrogen, with its proven NGS expertise, is an ideal partner to make such benefits available to patients and pharmaceutical companies through combined services provided in a CLIA environment."

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