NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – WaferGen Biosystems today announced a partnership with Molecular Pathology Laboratory Network to develop next-generation sequencing-based clinical tests.
According to MPLN VP of Genomic Solutions Jamie Platt, the first product to be commercialized from the deal will be a solid tumor panel to complement the lab's Pathology Partners Program and support MPLN's expanding molecular oncology services menu.
MPLN will use WaferGen's Seq-Ready TE MultiSample System in the partnership. Seq-Ready enables one-step target enrichment and library preparation and provides uniform coverage of targeted genes, yielding better test specificity and sensitivity, WaferGen said. The technology relies on massively parallel single-plex PCR, which provides cleaner and better controlled amplification, leading to more accurate variant calling, the company added.
"One of the key challenges in developing clinical grade targeted NGS panels is achieving complete coverage of the required genes," Platt said in a statement. "Based on my experience, WaferGen's target enrichment technology offers a unique solution that not only provides adequate coverage, but also reduces the number of steps in sample preparation."
Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.