Sequenon's MassArray System Installed at NHGRI
Sequenom's MassArray system represents a novel approach to genotyping by combining enzymology and bioinformatics in a miniaturized chip. The system relies on the fidelity of enzymatic primer extension reactions combined with a proprietary, miniaturized DNA array and MALDI-TOF (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization-Time of Flight) mass spectrometry to deliver results rapidly. Its ability to accurately distinguish single base changes in DNA fragments allows the process to forego the requirement for tags, simplifying product detection and result analysis.
"We are pleased to have formed a partnership with the National Institutes of Health—the federal government's pioneering force in genetic research," said Hubert Koster, Sequenom president and CEO. "This installation represents a significant achievement for the company and is another step toward our goal of becoming the leader in the commercialization of industrial-scale SNP analysis."
The MassArray system placement follows a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) executed between Sequenom and NHGRI in September. According to the CRADA Research Plan, SNP detection will be used to identify disease genes through the analysis of thousands of SNPs spread throughout the human genome, requiring highly multiplexed genotyping technology.
The National Human Genome Research Institute, one of 24 institutes or divisions that make up the NIH, was originally established in 1989 as The National Center for Human Genome Research. Its mission is to head the Human Genome Project for the National Institutes of Health.
Sequenom, a pioneer in the new field of industrial genomics, is developing systems for the large-scale commercial use of DNA variations for improving health, agriculture and livestock. The company's MassArray system has been installed at six academic, government, and commercial centers for beta testing. The company's intellectual property portfolio includes more than 47 pending patent applications in the United States and corresponding international and foreign filings in major industrial nations.
For more information: Hubert Koster, President and CEO, Sequenom Inc., 11555 Sorrento Valley Rd., San Diego, CA 92121. Tel: 858-350-0345. Fax: 858-350-0344.