NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Quanterix said today it has entered a collaboration with Destina Genomics to explore the use of Quanterix's Simoa technology for the detection of microRNAs.
The effort will focus initially on development of an assay for detection and quantification of the liver toxicity biomarker microRNA-122.
Quanterix's Simoa technology uses arrays of femtoliter-sized reaction chambers designed to isolate single molecules, enabling each well to serve effectively as an independent assay for a single molecule. Proteins are the company's main area of focus, but it has recently begun exploring use of the system for the direct detection of nucleic acids.
"We are very excited to work with Destina’s chemistry, which enables the direct and specific detection of microRNAs without the need for sample purification or amplification, Kevin Hrusovsky, Quanterix's president, chairman, and CEO, said in a statement. "Running these assays on the Simoa platform provides the highest level of non-PCR sensitivity for nucleic acid detection and can greatly simplify a wide range of nucleic acid-based tests."
"The combination of our proprietary chemistry with Quanterix's ultra-sensitive Simoa technology has the potential to unlock significant opportunities in nucleic acid testing," said Hugh Ilyine, CEO of Destina.
Financial and other terms of the agreement were not disclosed.