Fluidigm has secured co-exclusive licences for Stanford University inventions that detect foetal genetic characteristics in maternal plasma.
These licences cover a technique that counts chromosomes by finding trace amounts of foetal DNA in a pregnant woman's blood.
The university's paper, 'Noninvasive Diagnosis of Foetal Aneuploidy by Shotgun Sequencing DNA from Maternal Blood', was published in the 6 October 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Because small amounts of foetal DNA are present in maternal blood early in pregnancy, researchers believe the technique can provide an earlier and safer diagnosis for foetal aneuploidy.
The licences cover Stanford University inventions relating to: non-invasive foetal genetic screening by digital analysis; non-invasive diagnosis of foetal aneuploidy by sequencing; and digital PCR enabling rapid pre-natal diagnosis of foetal aneuploidy.
Researchers used Fluidigm's integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs) to count individual molecules to set the exact parameters for sequencing steps that helped determine the amounts of critical foetal DNA.
Fluidigm's Biomark Digital Array is an IFC designed for digital PCR.
This chip partitions a sample premixed with PCR reagents into 765 replicate reactions, allowing the absolute quantification of target sequences.
Digital arrays transform digital PCR into a straightforward approach for PCR applications demanding extreme accuracy of copy number.
In contrast, digital PCR is an impractical technique when performed on traditional technologies such as microwell plates.
