Sigma-Aldrich and Rubicon Genomics announce GenomePlex(TM) Whole Genome Amplification Licensing Agreement

08-Oct-2004

St. Louis /Taufkirchen. Sigma-Aldrich, a leading life science and High Technology company, is pleased to announce a licensing agreement with Rubicon genomics, a molecular diagnostics company known for development of the GenomePlex(TM) Whole Genome Amplification (WGA) technology, a highly sensitive, accurate, and proprietary method of amplifying total DNA from any organism. The licensing agreement grants Sigma-Aldrich exclusive worldwide rights to GenomePlex for the production and sale of kits to the research market. Rubicon retains all rights to the technology for its core market, molecular diagnostics, as well as for service.

GenomePlex WGA produces accurate and robust amplification of total human DNA at the sub-nanogram level. The process is a random, non-enzymatic fragmentation of genomic DNA followed by the addition of specific adaptor sequences to both ends, forming an in vitro molecular library that can be amplified using conventional techniques. Library preparation and amplification can be accomplished in less than three hours and results in microgram or milligram yields of DNA. GenomePlex WGA gives excellent results for a wide variety of DNA samples including whole blood, blood spots, buccal swabs, serum, fixed tissue, hair follicles, immunoprecipitates, and single cells. GenomePlex WGA has been extensively used in academic, government, and commercial projects for SNP and STR genotyping, mutation discovery by sequencing and heteroduplex analysis, and comparative genome hybridization.

"The GenomePlex technology offers a robust, efficient and economical approach to whole genome amplification", commented Keith Jolliff, Global Marketing Manager of Molecular Biology at Sigma-Aldrich. "We feel the PCR based system is an excellent complement to our existing Nucleic Acid Amplification product line as well as our oligonucleotide offering through Sigma-Genosys. Our existing technologies coupled with the performance and application advantages of the GenomePlex system provide a winning combination to the genomics research community".

"Rubicon has successfully provided GenomePlex WGA services and kits to the academic and pharmaceutical markets for more than two years," said John Langmore, VP of Commercial Development at Rubicon. "Our customers are convinced that it is the most accurate and robust method to preserve and expand very small amounts of precious DNA or degraded DNA into a renewable resource for current and future studies. We consider Sigma-Aldrich the ideal partner to promote and globally distribute the technology in kit format and greatly expand the franchise that we have been building. We look forward to working with them on their product launch."

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