Qiagen has announced the launch of several tests for cancer companion diagnostics, CE-marked with the Rotor-Gene Q thermocycler (EGFR) and the Pyromark pyrosequencing system (EGFR, NRAS, KRAS, BRAF).
The tests are used in personalised healthcare of cancer by identifying certain mutations in these particular genes, which then help clinicians to select and tailor the most appropriate treatment.
The kits are offered as CE-IVD marked therascreen tests in Europe as well as globally for research-use only (RUO), with the CE-marked therascreen pyrosequencing kits available beginning in December 2010.
The offering expands Qiagen's portfolio of companion diagnostics in personalised healthcare; many more kits are currently in development and will be launched over the coming months.
The PCR-based kits can also be used in combination with the flexible QIAsymphony RGQ instrument that allows automation of the complete workflow from sample preparation and assay setup through to detection with the Rotor-Gene Q thermocycler.
In the near future, pyrosequencing kits will also be automated with the QIAsymphony series.
