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XCR Diagnostics to Develop Assays for NeuMoDx Systems

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) — XCR Diagnostics has signed an agreement to develop three assays for NeuMoDx Molecular's 96 and 288 molecular systems, the companies said today.

The recently launched PCR-based systems enable continuous, random-access, sample-to-results workflows for on-demand, high-throughput sample processing with an operator walkaway window of up to seven hours. The 288 system loads up to 288 patient samples and is cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration, while the 96-sample system is registered for lab-developed testing use.

Under the terms of the chemistry license deal, Salt Lake City-based XCR will develop and implement three assays for the systems, beginning with a multiplex test for Group A Streptococcus and Group C/G Streptococcus that will use NeuMoDx's NeuDry reagents and is expected to launch in European Economic Area markets later this year. The assays will employ XCR's proprietary Xtreme Chain Reaction nucleic acid amplification technology.

"While XCR Diagnostics remains focused on completing our first near-patient instrument system, this collaboration with NeuMoDx is one more milestone in our corporate development," XCR CEO Mark Powelson said in a statement. "Placing XCR chemistry on a high-throughput molecular diagnostic system is another first for us and really brings to light the value and impact of our rapid amplification detection chemistry and its use in a high-throughput laboratory instrument."

In September, Qiagen signed an agreement to acquire the remaining 80 percent stake of Ann Arbor, Michigan-based NeuMoDx that it doesn't already own for $234 million, pending regulatory and operational milestones.

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