NEW YORK – Qiagen announced Thursday that it will expand its collaboration with Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz, a provider of diagnostics to the Brazilian Ministry of Health. As part of the collaboration, Qiagen will supply molecular biology technologies, custom solutions, and comprehensive training to facilitate Brazil’s public health initiatives.
Financial terms of the partnership were not disclosed.
Under the original partnership, which began in 2009, Qiagen supplied reagents and instruments for HIV and hepatitis C virus testing.
The expanded partnership now includes capabilities to detect malaria and hepatitis B virus in blood donations as well as epidemiological surveillance for dengue virus. Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz will also provide dengue molecular kits based on unique chemistry developed in collaboration with Qiagen to aid in Brazil's ongoing dengue epidemic.
Qiagen will also support the deployment of a system called the advanced Brazilian Nucleic Acid Test (NAT Plus) platform across 30 labs in Brazil. The NAT Plus platform supports health surveillance within Brazil's blood transfusion system, Qiagen said in a statement.
Bio-Manguinhos/Fiocruz has also developed a kit to detect and discriminate Zika, chikungunya, and dengue virus, and type the latter, to support epidemiological surveillance programs in Brazil.
Under the terms of the new agreement, Qiagen's solutions will be included in the screening kits and private labeled under the Bio-Manguinhos brand.