NOVATO, CA (Thursday, August 12, 2010) – Biosearch Technologies, Inc. (Biosearch), a leading supplier of sophisticated oligonucleotide components to the rapidly growing molecular diagnostics industry, today announced that it has entered into a new license relationship with QIAGEN (NASDAQ: QIA, Frankfurt Prime Standard) providing broad commercialisation rights to Scorpions Primers.
Scorpions primer assays are leading molecular diagnostic reagents for amplifying and detecting diagnostic targets. According to the agreement, Biosearch expands its existing Scorpions licenses from QIAGEN to now allow the company the right to manufacture, catalogue and sell Scorpions primer assays into the research, applied and infectious disease testing markets. Furthermore, the new agreement grants QIAGEN worldwide rights to market labeled probes based on Biosearch’s proprietary, patented Black Hole Quencher® (BHQ®) dyes for qPCR assays in all applied testing and IVD fields. Diagnostic probes with the BHQ dye molecule play a crucial role in many US and international public health surveillance programs.
Marc Beal, Director of Corporate Development at Biosearch Technologies, comments, “Biosearch has been working with QIAGEN since 2002, manufacturing custom Scorpions primers for the majority of Scorpions licensees. We are excited to expand our Scorpions license rights with QIAGEN to include catalogued products and applied markets. Applied testing fields now covered by Biosearch’s license include environmental testing, animal identity and food testing, genetically-modified-organism (GMO) testing, industrial microbiology testing, bio-security applications, and forensic and human identity fields. The license also enables Biosearch to manufacture BHQ-labeled Scorpions primer assays for in-vitro diagnostics in the field of infectious diseases”
Scorpions primers have distinct advantages over linear probed molecular diagnostic methodologies. Biosearch intends to work with QIAGEN to expand on the potential of Scorpions and capture this value in research, applied, and infectious disease markets. Subject to certain milestone achievements, Biosearch will become the “Center of Excellence for Scorpions” for designing and manufacturing Scorpions primers and derivative value added assays. The company plans to generate and launch Scorpions design software accessible via Biosearch’s website to end-user customers and QIAGEN Scorpions licensees.
“Scorpions is a leading probe technology for PCR detection with substantial technical advantages over competing methods,” says Dr. Achim Ribbe, Vice President Licensing, Corporate Business Development at QIAGEN. “It allows detection of even single nucleotide changes of targets in difficult regions, with improved signal-to-noise ratios. We are excited to further leverage our strong IP situation with innovative partners such as Biosearch who manufacture and develop advanced primer assays based on this cutting-edge technology. In addition, the agreement enables us to extend our high quality reagent pool for designing more sensitive qPCR assays. Therefore, Biosearch’s Black Hole Quencher® dyes allow us to further strengthen our development capabilities for profiling assays in global, applied, and IVD testing markets.”
About Biosearch Technologies, Inc.
Biosearch Technologies, Inc. is a privately held, ISO 9001:2008 certified company, located in northern California. Founded in 1993, Biosearch is a leader in the design, development and manufacture of sophisticated oligonucleotide-based tools. Products include fluorophores (CAL Fluor®, Quasar® and Pulsar® dyes) and dark quenchers (Black Hole Quencher® dyes) to be included in custom-synthesized probe formats for real-time, quantitative PCR and other genomic-based applications. Biosearch is the sole source offering access to these proprietary dyes. The BHQ dyes have become essential components in the highest performing, frequently demanded qPCR assays in the IVD market, including the original 2009 H1N1 influenza assays purchased by public health and other qualified laboratories worldwide.
In addition to basic R&D applications, Biosearch now leverages its demonstrated expertise in fully assembled RUO kits and the cGMP manufacture of oligonucleotide components for molecular diagnostic assays. Biosearch Technologies is registered with the FDA (registration number 300300905), and as such, its contract manufacturing processes conform to all applicable GMP requirements per 21 CFR Part 820. Biosearch markets include pharmaceutical, in-vitro diagnostic, biotech, ag/bio, environmental and food testing, public health, and biodefense sectors.
For additional information about Biosearch Technologies, Inc., contact info@biosearchtech.com or visit www.biosearchtech.com.
