Qiagen, Venlo, The Netherlands, will be collaborating with Seegene Inc, Seoul, Republic of Korea, to develop a menu of multiplex assay panels for Qiagen’s modular QiaSymphony RGQ MDx automation platform.
The partners’ first project is to develop comprehensive panels to profile infectious diseases. Seegene’s proprietary technologies for multiplexed real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis enable simultaneous amplification of up to 20 target genes per tube in a single reaction. Qiagen will validate the new tests to run on its flagship automation platform, and will market them worldwide as Qiagen-branded assays, beginning in Europe and Asia.
Thierry Bernard, Qiagen.
“Seegene’s technologies can test for multiple targets with high sensitivity, reproducibility, and the panels offer significant medical value,” says Thierry Bernard, senior vice president, head of the molecular diagnostics business area, and a member of the executive committee of Qiagen. “QiaSymphony is adding significant value for users as the growing menu of clinically proven diagnostics allows labs to consolidate more tests on one system. The new tests will be highly synergistic with our current menu.”
Jong-Yoon Chun, PhD, Seegene.
“Collaborating with Qiagen to commercialize comprehensive multiplexed panels based on our innovative PCR chemistry technologies will expand Seegene’s global reach,” says Jong-Yoon Chun, founder and chief executive of Seegene. “Because our breakthrough MuDT technology enables detection and quantification of multiple target genes in a single channel without melt curve analysis, this is a true next-generation quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology.”
The QiaSymphony modular system integrates a molecular laboratory’s workflow from initial biological sample processing to final insights. The systems three modules include QiaSymphony SP for sample preparation, QiaSymphony AS for assay setup (integrated into the SP module), and the Rotor-Gene Q real-time PCR detection platform. QiaSymphony RGQ MDx received FDA clearance in early 2014.
To date, the menu of diagnostics running on the QiaSymphony platform includes 13 CE-IVD marked tests available in 30 European countries and six FDA-approved or cleared diagnostics available in the United States.
