Third Wave Technologies, Beckman Coulter Automate High Throughput SNP Studies
SNPs are slight genetic differences that account for person-to-person variations in, among other things, susceptibility to disease and response to drugs.
Third Wave Technologies' Invader Assay Kit
"Until now, it has not been possible to cost-effectively develop and use the tens of thousands or more individual pharmacogenomic assays that will be required for drug development, clinical trials, patient profiling, and personalized medicine," commented Lance Fors, president and CEO of Third Wave Technologies. "This collaboration represents a fundamental breakthrough in the development and use of pharmacogenomic assays on a broad scale."
The Invader assay detects specific DNA and RNA sequences by using structure-specific Cleavase enzymes to cleave a complex formed by the hybridization of overlapping oligonucleotide probes. Elevated temperature and an excess of one of the probes enable multiple probes to be cleaved for each target sequence present without temperature cycling. Cleaved probes then direct cleavage of a labeled probe. The secondary probe oligonucleotide can be 5'-end labeled with fluorescein that is quenched by an internal dye. Upon cleavage, the fluorescein labeled product may be detected using a standard fluorescence plate reader. These sequential reactions produce between one and ten million labeled cleavage products per target sequence per hour.
Invader is scaleable for both assay development and use with automated platforms, enabling low-cost, automated assay development as well as the accurate analysis of tens of thousands of genetic variations in tens of thousands of individuals. Invader is available on a non-exclusive basis with Beckman Coulter's SAGIAN Core System, one of the most popular automated drug discovery and screening platforms in use by the pharmaceutical and research communities. Each SAGIAN screening module can process more than 100,000 Invader reactions per day.
"By collaborating with Third Wave, we create innovative customer options for large-scale genotyping and gene expression studies," said Jack Finney, vice president of Bioresearch for Beckman Coulter. "Ultimately, our ability to optimize the technology of both companies benefits those who can put it to best use in scientific discovery and, potentially, one day in routine clinical practice."
For more information: Lance Fors, CEO, Third Wave Technologies Inc., 502 South Rosa Rd., Madison, WI 53719. Tel: 608-273-8933. Fax: 608-273-8618.