Hercules, CA — March 2, 2015 — Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) today announced the launch of new PrimePCR Droplet Digital PCR (ddPCR™) Assays. This release expands Bio-Rad’s offering of predesigned validated copy number assays to a total of 658 targets, 57 of which are centromeric reference assays. The mutation detection assay offering now covers 209 mutations, of which 184 have short amplicon assays available for use with fragmented and challenging samples. This expansion also introduces assays for transcriptome-wide gene expression analysis of human, mouse, and rat genomes. In total, Bio-Rad now offers more than 120,000 PrimePCR Assays for use with Droplet Digital PCR.
Bio-Rad’s ddPCR technology provides an absolute measure of target DNA molecules without the need for a standard curve. PrimePCR ddPCR Assays are available for use in three key application areas:
- Mutation detection — enables detection of one mutant molecule in a background of 2,000 wild-type molecules
- Copy number variation — enables the quantitative discrimination required to resolve small fold changes in gene copy numbers for CNV analysis
- Gene expression analysis — enables the detection of small fold changes in the expression of a target gene between samples and quantification of rare transcripts
Alternatives for researchers who work with FISH and FFPE samples
The new assays include validated centromeric copy number reference assays that provide a faster, less labor-intensive alternative to fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for cytogeneticists studying the area near the chromosome centromere. Scientists can also combine these assays with paired (on the same chromosome) target assays to distinguish between focal and arm-level copy number variations.
Mutation detection PrimePCR ddPCR Assays for difficult sample types are also being introduced. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples often contain degraded DNA and are challenging to work with. Use of a short amplicon assay can improve limits of detection when working with FFPE or cfDNA samples in which target nucleic acid concentrations are very low. The new PrimePCR ddPCR Assays include short amplicon assays that target mutations in genes such as KIT, HRAS, BRAF, and NRAS. These assays are offered as separate mutant and matching wild-type assays.
PrimePCR ddPCR Gene Expression Assays are available for both hydrolysis probe– and EvaGreen-based detection. All PrimePCR ddPCR Assays are compatible with Bio-Rad’s QX200™ ddPCR Systems, including the QX200™ AutoDG™ Droplet Digital™ PCR System.
Bio-Rad offers a lookup tool on the website that enables customers to search for PrimePCR ddPCR Assays based on gene/target name, application, and chromosome location.
For more information on Bio-Rad’s PrimePCR products, please visit www.bio-rad.com/PrimePCRpr3.
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 7,600 people worldwide and had revenues exceeding $2.1 billion in 2014. For more information, visit our website at www.bio-rad.com.
This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding the Company's risks and uncertainties, please refer to the “Risk Factors” in the Company’s public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information contact:
Viresh Patel
Bio-Rad Laboratories
925-474-8602
Viresh_Patel@bio-rad.com
Ken Li
Chempetitive Group
312-997-2436 x 112
kli@chempetitive.com