An early user of a new Mycoplasma genitalium and antibiotic resistance test from SpeeDx that uses the Xpert cartridge shared some initial validation data.
The firm said that its cell-free DNA assay has shown a high positive predictive value in preliminary clinical studies involving stage IV colorectal cancer patients.
The test, which searches for fragments of DNA 200 basepairs or longer that are characteristic of diseased mucosa, may eventually compete with diagnostics like Exact Sciences' Cologuard.
Using biorepository strains, researchers from the J. Craig Venter Institute and elsewhere profiled Zika virus consensus sequences, variant patterns, and phylogenetics.
The firm said that the assay uses vaginal or rectal swabs to identify Group B Streptococcus DNA in about an hour. It has filed for 510(k) clearance with the US FDA.
The Oregon state Senate unanimously passed a bill that would make it easier for people convicted of crimes to initiate DNA testing of evidence, according to the Associated Press.
Florida state senators are to weigh a bill prohibiting life insurance companies from using genetic information in coverage decisions, according to Florida Politics.
In Genome Research this week: metagenomic sequencing assay that detects pathogens in cerebrospinal fluid, single-tube long fragment read approach, and more.
