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Hercules, CA — May 8, 2013 — Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. today announced the addition of the mouse genome to its PrimePCR assays for quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). Bio-Rad’s PrimePCR assays are the industry’s only real-time PCR primers that have been experimentally validated to ensure performance.
“Based on the qPCR data I have seen in our lab and from researchers looking for support, I learned to appreciate the value of fully validated assays,” said Dr. Jan Hellemans, co-CEO of Biogazelle, a qPCR data analysis and services company he cofounded with Prof. Jo Vandesompele in 2007 as a privately held Ghent University spin-off. Hellemans and Vandesompele were also coauthors of a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19246619">the MIQE guidelines (minimum information for publication of quantitative real-time PCR experiments) established to promote high-quality data from qPCR experiments (Bustin et al. 2009).
Commercial providers have traditionally used software to facilitate the design of qPCR assays. While these algorithms detect sequences such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms and secondary structure that may impair or bias amplification, they do not guarantee that the assay will work in the lab. To validate an assay, users must still test the resulting PCR primers for efficiency and specificity with the target sequence.
Meeting the MIQE Guidelines through Full Wet-Lab Validation
Bio-Rad collaborated with Biogazelle to design, optimize, and experimentally validate SYBR® Green-based gene expression assays for the mouse genome. PCR primer pairs for each mouse transcript were designed following strict guidelines on maximum transcript coverage, minimal overlap with known SNPs, and spanning large introns where possible.
In accordance with the MIQE guidelines, every assay was wet-lab validated following strict assay performance standards for amplification efficiency, specificity, sensitivity, and linear dynamic range. Assay specificity was confirmed using next-generation sequencing (NGS). This approach yielded validated assays for more than 90 percent of the mRNA transcriptome.
“Using Bio-Rad’s PrimePCR assays now allows users to run high-quality MIQE-compliant assays without having to spend the effort performing the lab validation themselves,” said Hellemans.
Additionally, the PrimePCR mouse assays are:
• Expertly curated — predesigned pathway and disease plates curated by Thomson Reuters for canonical pathways and related collections help researchers identify and investigate key targets
• Customizable — easy-to-use plate configurator allows users to lay out assays on a plate exactly as they choose or use a suggested plate layout template
• Fully integrated — full integration with CFX real-time PCR systems and data analysis software streamlines data collection and analysis
For more information on Bio-Rad’s PrimePCR products, please visit www.bio-rad.com/PrimePCR.
About Bio-Rad
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: BIO and BIOb) has been at the center of scientific discovery for more than 60 years, manufacturing and distributing a broad range of products for the life science research and clinical diagnostic markets. The company is renowned worldwide among hospitals, universities, major research institutions, as well as biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies for its commitment to quality and customer service. Founded in 1952, Bio-Rad is headquartered in Hercules, California, and serves more than 100,000 research and industry customers worldwide through its global network of operations. The company employs over 7,300 people globally and had revenues exceeding $2 billion in 2012. For more information, visit www.bio-rad.com.
This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. For further information regarding the Company’s risks and uncertainties, please refer to the “Risk Factors” in the Company’s public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K. The Company cautions you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc., disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
For more information contact:
Richard Kurtz
Bio-Rad
510-741-5638
richard_kurtz@bio-rad.com
Ken Li
Chempetitive Group
312-997-2436 x 112
kli@chempetitive.com
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