Source: iStock/© KatarzynaBialasiewicz Asuragen agreed to collaborate with Illumina to set up a framework for the development and commercialization of sequencing-based companion diagnostics in partnership with biotech and pharmaceutical companies. Asuragen officials say they will leverage the Quantidex™ NGS product platform for development of customized companion diagnostics for its biotech and pharma partners on the Illumina MiSeqDx™ instrument Asuragen’s recently launched Quantidex Pan Cancer [research] Kit demonstrates its optimized NGS system that unifies pre-analytical DNA QC, sample quantification, multiplex PCR enrichment, dual-index barcoding, and library purification and quantification, using reagents provided in a single kit, according to Matt McManus, president and CEO of Asuragen.. “It integrates Asuragen’s analytics and reporting suite, the Quantidex Reporter, providing a straight forward sample-to-answer solution for Asuragen NGS panels,” he added.
Asuragen and Illumina will join forces to develop and commercialise genomics-based companion diagnostics. The collaboration between the two companies is part of a larger effort by Illumina, which has been working with partners in Europe for several years on its own genome sequencing technology.