The subsidiary of Canon USA shut down as of Dec. 31 and terminated a distribution agreement with Dutch PCR company Molecular Biology Systems.
Canon Medical Systems established the Japanese joint venture — called ACTmed — with Taiwanese molecular diagnostics firm ACT Genomics.
The exclusive deal includes sales and marketing of a rapid thermal cycler as well as consumable microplates and pipette tips.
The deal covers Canon BioMedical's Novallele line of genotyping and copy number assays in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland.
Sanbio, a Netherlands-based distributor that serves the Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg, will distribute Canon's Novallele assays and controls.
The method uses chitosan-coated magnetic beads and bead-based lysis to reduce the number of sample prep steps.
The companies have been working together since early 2015 on a diagnostic for the early detection of Lyme disease.
The firm has launched genotyping assays that rely on PCR followed by high-resolution melt analysis, as well as master mix companion chemistry.
The investment will fund the research and development of new diagnostic testing products, including rapid genetic testing.
Among Canon BioMedical's life science projects is a genetic testing platform based on ultra-fast serial PCR and high-resolution melt analysis.
A genetic alteration appears to increase heart failure risk among people of African descent, according to the Washington Post.
Gene editing could be an issue competitive sports need to address soon, four researchers from Arizona State University write at Slate.
In his look back at the past decade, BuzzFeed News' Peter Aldhous writes that direct-to-consumer genetic testing has led to "Facebook for genes."
In Nature this week: genetic "clock" that can predict the lifespans of vertebrates, new assembler called wtdbg2, and more.
