Diatech Pharmacogenetics EasyPGX kits, Helix cfDNA kit

Italy's Diatech Pharmacogenetics has launched a line of PCR-based oncology kits. The easyPGX line of PCR kits includes assays to detect KRAS, NRAS, BRAF, EGFR, involved in many solid tumors; DPYD and UGT1A1 variants associated with toxicity upon fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan treatment, respectively; and a thyroid panel. The sensitivity of the assays is as low as 0.5 percent, and the starting material can be DNA extracted from fresh, frozen, and formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissues, and plasma; and genomic DNA from whole blood for the DPYD and UGT1A1 kits. Reagents are delivered in eight-well strips pre-loaded with a complete master mix in a dry format that is stable at room temperature. The tests have a turnaround time of less than 3 hours, including deparaffinization and lysis, and require less than 10 minutes of hands-on time. In addition, the company has launched the Helix kit for the extraction of circulating free DNA. This kit can be used with 1 to 5 ml of fresh or frozen plasma and has a turnaround time of less than 3 hours.