Alliance to Develop NAT Diagnostic System

An agreement to develop and distribute a customized integrated diagnostic system for use in nucleic acid sample preparation, detection, and quantification of the hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV-1 has been announced by Roche Molecular Systems (Pleasanton, CA, USA) and Qiagen GmbH (Venlo, The Netherlands). The system will be based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technology of Roche.

The customized system will incorporate modified versions of automated sample preparation modules from Qiagen, called TaqPrep. TaqPrep will be integrated with a modified version of Roche's TaqMan Analyzer, designed to target amplification using real-time PCR and nucleic acid extraction methods for the detection of viruses. These integrated systems will be distributed by Roche to large US reference laboratories.

Using Qiagen's proprietary silica membrane technologies, extraction of both DNA and RNA can be performed on a fully automated basis, processing 96 samples in only a few hours. With Roche's technology, amplification and detection of nucleic acid occurs simultaneously in a single reaction tube and can be monitored in real-time, allowing for more rapid and reliable detection, says Roche. Specially designed hardware and software will be utilized for positive sample tracking, integrating the entire testing process for laboratories, with a turn-around time of less than six hours.

"Qiagen's technology and market leadership in nucleic acid purification in molecular diagnostics is adding substantial value to the development of standardized and highly efficient solutions in this emerging and rapidly growing market,” said Dr. Helge Bastian, vice president, global strategic marketing at Qiagen.



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