Munich Leukemia Laboratory Pairs RainDance’s ThunderStormSystem with MiSeq to Generate Data to Classify Acute Myeloid Leukemia Samples

RainDance Technologies, Inc., the Digital Biology Company, and the MLL Munich Leukemia Laboratory (MLL) today announced that MLL will be releasing data for a new myeloid hematological malignancies gene panel generated using RainDance Technologies ThunderStorm System coupled with Illumina’s MiSeq platform. MLL will present initial results from a technology evaluation and research study at the 54th Annual American Society of Hematology (ASH) meeting next week in Atlanta.

MLL has developed a comprehensive, 31-gene deep-sequencing panel to identify both favorable and adverse molecular markers for the subclassification of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS). This panel uses RainDance’s unique picodroplet single-molecule PCR enrichment solution and 2 x 250bp paired-end reads generated on the Illumina MiSeq instrument. This panel also features RainDance’s DirectSeq tailed primer workflow, which incorporates sequencing adapters in the primers and unique barcodes via a secondary PCR, thereby eliminating sequencing library construction and enabling 4-5 samples to be analyzed per MiSeq run. To date, MLL has processed more than 200 samples using the RainDance ThunderStorm System to identify prognostically relevant mutations for AML and other myeloid malignancies. MLL intends to use 2 x 250bp paired-end reads for this panel later in its commercial operations.

The number of molecular markers used to characterize myeloid malignancies such as AML is constantly increasing. There is an acute unmet need to test significantly larger gene panels while increasing sensitivity and coverage by orders of magnitude, said Professor Torsten Haferlach, CEO of MLL. By coupling the MiSeq platform with RainDance’s ThunderStorm System, we have developed the industry’s leading panel to analyze clinically relevant genes for AML and MDS using high-throughput targeted sequencing. We have standardized onto the RainDance-Illumina workflow to generate unparalleled data that can be used to classify patients battling myeloid malignancies.

Data presented at the meeting will highlight a recent technology evaluation and research study, where MLL analyzed 49 well-annotated patients harboring myeloid malignancies. The targeted gene panel library was constructed using RainDance s proprietary primer design pipeline and sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform. The coverage per amplicon was 2,095-fold, thus enabling highly sensitive detection of variants. Total turn-around time from sample to result was less than four days.

MLL is one of several marquee research customers adopting our ThunderStorm system and proven droplet-based PCR enrichment solution to generate 100 percent genomic target coverage, completeness and heterozygous concordance. Our system provides a highly simplified workflow, high-throughput walkaway automation, and cost efficiencies in sample prep, sequencing and informatics significantly better than any other commercial solution, said Andy Watson, Chief Marketing Officer of RainDance Technologies. We are pleased to have MLL as our customer and believe their AML/MDS panel will enable translational researchers to better characterize life-threatening cancers.

Researchers from MLL will be discussing these and other data at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology (ASH) in Atlanta, December 8-11.