ST. LOUIS, Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Sigma-Aldrich , a leading $1.7 billion Life Science and High Technology company, is pleased to announce an exclusive licensing agreement with Rubicon Genomics to further develop and commercialize their TransPlex(TM) Whole Transcriptome Amplification (WTA) technology. The TransPlex technology is the fastest, most sensitive and robust method available for amplifying total RNA from a variety of sample sources such as animals, plants, and microorganisms. Under the terms of the agreement, Rubicon retains all rights to TransPlex for molecular diagnostics.
"We are excited to have this opportunity to expand our relationship with Rubicon," said Keith Jolliff, Director of Marketing for Genomics and Functional Genomics. "Sigma-Aldrich is committed to bringing best-in-class- technologies to the genomic research community, and the TransPlex(TM) Whole Transcriptome Amplification kit is clearly in that category."
John Langmore, VP of Commercial Development at Rubicon, said: "Rubicon is very pleased that Sigma-Aldrich will be marketing TransPlex kits to complement the very successful GenomePlex(R) Whole Genome Amplification kits. We have confidence that their customers will embrace TransPlex for biological research and development of diagnostic products."
TransPlex WTA creates a cDNA library from the isolated RNA template and then amplifies the library in a single PCR reaction. The TransPlex reagents and protocols, optimized to ensure a linear representation of all expressed genes and exons, allow RNA samples to be amplified 1,000-10,000 fold in less than four hours. This technology is highly robust and works well even when the RNA is partially degraded, as in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue.
About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Its biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology manufacturing. The Company has customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 35 countries and has 7,200 employees providing excellent service worldwide. Sigma-Aldrich is committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit its award- winning Web site at http://sigma-aldrich.com .
About Rubicon Genomics: Rubicon, located in Ann Arbor, MI, commercializes its OmniPlex(R) and EnzyPlex(TM) families of technologies for diagnostics, research, and service. Rubicon has partnered with large diagnostic and pharmaceutical companies to develop proprietary MethylPlex(TM) diagnostic and predictive tests for methylated DNA biomarkers discovered for prostate, bladder, breast, and lung cancer. Rubicon will continue to offer commercial services for whole genome and whole transcriptome amplification from DNA, serum, and formalin-fixed sections. OmniPlex, EnzyPlex, GenomePlex, MethylPlex, and TransPlex are trademarks of Rubicon Genomics. More information can be found at http://www.rubicongenomics.com .
Cautionary Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future performance, goals, strategic actions and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company's expectations, goals, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding the Company's operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.
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