HERCULES, Calif. — April 4, 2016 — Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) today announced the launch of five Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR) Multiplex Mutation Screening Kits for detecting several key actionable cancer mutations and the wild-type allele in a single reaction. The combination of ddPCR and multiplexing technologies increases the throughput of genetic analysis to give clinical researchers more information per patient sample.
With this launch, Bio-Rad’s ddPCR Multiplex Mutation Screening portfolio comprises KRAS Q61, NRAS G12, NRAS G12/G13, NRAS Q61, and BRAF V600 screening kits in addition to the commercially available KRAS G12/G13 screening kit. Mutations in these genes are common in numerous cancers and screened for during clinical research to connect specific genetic alterations with diagnosis, treatment efficacy, and disease recurrence.
“Bio-Rad’s ddPCR already allows us to achieve high sensitivity in detecting genetic mutations in liquid biopsies,” said Hestia Mellert, PhD, Senior Scientist and Project Manager at Biodesix, Inc. “The new multiplex mutation screening kits give us even more information per sample, by allowing us to screen for multiple mutations and wild type at once and maintain a test-to-result turnaround time within 72 hours.”
Sample partitioning in ddPCR enables the detection of rare nucleic acid sequences in a complex background of competing sequences, while minimizing the effect of inhibitory substances. The ddPCR Multiplex Mutation Screening Kits identify mutations present at allelic frequencies at or below 0.5%, making them ideal for use with formalin fixed, paraffin embedded (FFPE) and liquid biopsy samples. The precision and sensitivity offered by the kits also enables early detection of important biomarkers.
The ddPCR Multiplex Mutation Screening Kits are compatible with all of Bio-Rad’s ddPCR systems, including the QX200 AutoDG Droplet Digital PCR System.
For more information on Bio-Rad’s ddPCR Multiplex Mutation Screening Kits, please visit www.bio-rad.com/MultiplexKits.
Bio-Rad’s KRAS Q61, NRAS G12, NRAS G12/G13, NRAS Q61, and BRAF V600 ddPCR Multiplex Mutation Screening Kits are intended for research use only.
About Bio-Rad
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of innovative products and solutions for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned for its commitment to quality and customer service among university and research institutions, hospitals, public health and commercial laboratories, as well as the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and food safety industries. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is based in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and healthcare industry customers through its global network of operations. The company employs more than 7,800 people worldwide and had revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2015. For more information, please visit www.bio-rad.com.
For more information, please contact:
Viresh Patel
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.
925-474-8602
viresh_patel@bio-rad.com
Ken Li
Chempetitive Group
312-532-4675
kli@chempetitive.com