Cambridge Epigenetix (CEGX), Cambridge, UK, and NuGen Technologies, San Carlos, Calif, have entered into a partnership to integrate the CEGX TrueMethyl technology for oxidative bisulfite sequencing (oxBS-Seq) with NuGen’s next-generation sequencing library preparation kits.

The agreement will enable CEGX to focus on its epigenetic biomarker discovery programs, both in-house and in partnership with leading biopharma companies, and will further strengthen NuGen’s epigenetics portfolio of whole-genome methyl-seq, reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), and patented single primer enrichment technology target enrichment systems.

The epigenetic DNA modifications 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and 5-methylcytosine play very different roles in gene regulation. Cambridge Epigenetix enhanced the appreciation of 5hmC through the introduction of its TrueMethyl oxBS-Seq system. The company’s developments have enabled researchers to further elucidate the role of DNA methylation in disease occurrence and progression, highlighting the potential for such epigenetic marks in the development of improved diagnostic and prognostic assays. Integration of TrueMethyl oxBS and NuGen’s patented library preparation technologies will broaden the scope of accessible samples for the detection of these emerging markers.

Jason Mellad, PhD, Cambridge Epigenetix.

Jason Mellad, PhD, Cambridge Epigenetix.

“This partnership will enable both CEGX and NuGen to leverage our strengths to facilitate advances in the epigenetics field,” says Jason Mellad, CEO at Cambridge Epigenetix. “CEGX is committed to realizing the promise of epigenetics through the development of improved, minimally invasive diagnostic and prognostic tests for accurate and early detection of a range of diseases, including cancer.”

Nitin Sood, NuGen Technologies.

Nitin Sood, NuGen Technologies.

“We are delighted to be working with CEGX to provide the tools to improve the understanding and appreciation of epigenetics in cellular function,” says Nitin Sood, CEO at NuGen Technologies. “The goal of all of our products has always been to maximize the information that our customers obtain from their nucleic acid samples. By combining the TrueMethyl oxBS technology with our NGS library preparation kits, we will provide our customers with whole-genome and targeted methylation products to unlock the tremendous potential of epigenetics.”

New products resulting from this partnership are anticipated by the end of the year and will be available directly from NuGen.

For more information, visit Cambridge Epigenetics or NuGen Technologies.