IntegenX said this week that it has signed an agreement with Science Applications International Corporation, or SAIC, to pursue Defense Threat Reduction Agency Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity awards supporting US needs for detecting weapons of mass destruction.
Specifically, IntegenX and SAIC will look to supply US warfighters with an integrated system that provides rapid DNA-based identification of biothreat agents. SAIC will integrate its software and biodefense capabilities with IntegenX's RapidHit 200 — a mobile, self-contained DNA identification system that produces standardized DNA profiles in less than 90 minutes.
— in order to customize the system to detect biothreats.
Last year, IntegenX participated in an invitation-only US Department of Defense exercise where the RapidHit 200 Human DNA Identification System delivered accurate human DNA profiles from swabs, bottles, cans, sputum, hair, saliva, and blood.
InstantLabs said this week that it is developing an equine food verification test kit that will allow food processors and importers to quickly test for horse meat and related species such as the donkey.
The kit will be designed to run on the company's Hunter accelerated real-time PCR system. InstantLabs' food purity product line also includes a porcine verification test kit, which is currently being used by multi-national food companies to test for ingredients and final products before shipping, the company said.