Bio-Rad ddPCR Supermix for Residual DNA Quantification
Bio-Rad has launched droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) supermix for residual DNA quantification. The supermix provides a highly precise and sensitive method for directly measuring host cell DNA (HCD) that contaminates biopharmaceutical products. Inefficiencies in purifying active molecules from host cells can lead to impurities — including DNA — that routinely contaminate the product. Reaction partitioning and end-point analysis makes ddPCR technology less susceptible to PCR inhibition than qPCR. The technology also simplifies HCD quantification by eliminating the need for a standard curve for determining target DNA concentration because it allows direct counting of the number of target molecules. Using ddPCR and the new supermix, researchers can eliminate the DNA extraction step and directly measure residual HCD, Bio-Rad said in a statement.
Transgenomic MX-ICP Panel for Lung Cancer
Transgenomic has launched a multiplexed ICE COLD PCR (MX-ICP) lung cancer panel with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) analysis. The panel covers key actionable mutations while providing precision detection levels as low as 0.01 percent. Characteristic mutations in EGFR are found in many patients with lung tumors, and these mutations may be associated with susceptibility or resistance to certain targeted cancer drugs. The panel includes EGFR exons 18-21 to determine NSCLC tumor sensitivity or resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The MX-ICP technology in the panel generates highly accurate results from small amounts of blood or tissue samples and is available for diagnostic use through the company's CLIA laboratory, Transgenomic said in a statement.
ArcherDX PreSeq QC Assays
ArcherDX has launched PreSeq QC assays, which assess the quality of nucleic acid in FFPE samples prior to library creation for next-generation sequencing-based mutation detection. These assays are available for both RNA and DNA inputs. The PreSeq QC assays utilize qPCR to measure the quantity of nucleic acid that is of sufficient quality to be amplified into a library that will produce useful NGS data. They help predict successful library construction and provide sample-specific input recommendations to rescue low-quality samples, said ArcherDX in a statement. Similarly, the PreSeq RNA QC Assay predicts the amount of amplifiable cDNA template suitable for fusion detection, thereby predicting fusion assay sensitivity and specificity. The QC score generated with the assay correlates with library complexity metrics generated using the Archer Analysis bioinformatics platform; it also correlates with the accuracy of mutation detection, which enables independent measurement of confidence in variant calling and improves analytical sensitivity and specificity of the assay, said ArcherDX in a statement. All assays integrate into the Archer FusionPlex (RNA input) and VariantPlex (DNA input) assay workflows, but can also be used independent of Archer NGS library preparation panels.
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