New Extraction Kit Enables Consistent, Scalable cfDNA Isolation from Multiple Biofluids
Posted on 21 Feb 2026
Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) found in plasma, serum, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid is typically present at low concentrations and is often highly fragmented, making efficient recovery challenging for biomarker discovery and diagnostic development. Laboratories also require scalable extraction methods that accommodate variable input volumes and multiple biofluids while preserving reproducibility and workflow efficiency. A newly introduced extraction kit addresses these needs by enabling consistent, automation-ready isolation of cfDNA from commonly used biofluids.
New England Biolabs (Ipswich, MA, USA) has launched the Monarch Mag Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) Extraction Kit for the isolation of low-abundance circulating DNA from a range of biofluids. The kit supports plasma, serum, urine and cerebrospinal fluid inputs ranging from 1 mL to 4 mL. It is positioned for workflows spanning manual processing to higher throughput with automation, and for use prior to applications including biomarker discovery and diagnostics development.
The technology employs a magnetic bead–based approach that combines specialized chemistry with silica-coated magnetic particles to efficiently recover short DNA fragments from challenging matrices, including those with high nuclease activity. Designed for automation compatibility, the streamlined workflow delivers consistent, concentrated cfDNA suitable for a broad range of downstream molecular analyses. Reported performance demonstrates recovery across the full spectrum of fragment sizes, including fragments as small as 50 base pairs.
For laboratories aiming to streamline sample‑to‑result pipelines, the kit pairs with the company’s downstream amplification and library preparation products, including the NEBNext portfolio for next generation sequencing library preparation. The format is intended to offer versatility across sample numbers, input amounts and sample types while maintaining reproducibility. Packaging updates within the Monarch portfolio reduce plastic usage in reagent bottles and packaging components compared to standard market solutions.
“Extracting cell-free DNA is uniquely challenging because it is highly fragmented and circulating at low concentrations within complex and variable biofluid matrices,” stated Anagha Kadam, Applications and Product Development Scientist II at NEB. “The kit utilizes a specialized chemistry and silica-coated magnetic beads to efficiently recover short DNA fragments from challenging samples that inherently exhibit high nuclease activity.”
“Bouncing between vendors to troubleshoot an issue is exhausting and inefficient,” said James Deng, Senior Product Marketing Manager for NEB. “With a cfDNA extraction kit that integrates seamlessly into our downstream sequencing and amplification solutions, we’re empowered to more holistically address customer challenges from sample preparation through molecular diagnostic applications.”
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