QIAGEN Expands Qiasymphony Test Menu in Partnership with Seegene

QIAGEN N.V. today announced a collaboration in which Seegene Inc. will develop a menu of multiplex assay panels for its modular QIAsymphony RGQ MDx automation platform.

The first project is to develop comprehensive panels to profile infectious diseases. Seegene’s proprietary technologies for multiplexed real-time PCR analysis enable simultaneous amplification of up to 20 target genes per tube in a single reaction. QIAGEN will validate the new tests to run on QIAsymphony RGQ MDx, its flagship automation solution, and will market them worldwide as QIAGEN-branded assays, beginning in Europe and Asia.

“We are excited to bring to our customers valuable new tests for QIAsymphony RGQ MDx by partnering with Seegene to develop and commercialize novel multiplex assays. Seegene’s technologies can test for multiple targets with high sensitivity, reproducibility, and the panels offer significant medical value”, said Thierry Bernard Senior Vice President, Head of the Molecular Diagnostics Business Area and a member of the Executive Committee of QIAGEN. “QIAsymphony is adding significant value for users as the growing menu of clinically proven diagnostics allows labs to consolidate more tests on one system. The new tests will be highly synergistic with our current menu. Already one of the most widely placed medium-throughput systems, QIAsymphony is revolutionizing workflows with cost-effective processing from sample to insight.”

Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, Founder and CEO of Seegene, said: “Collaborating with QIAGEN to commercialize comprehensive multiplexed panels based on our innovative PCR chemistry technologies will expand Seegene’s global reach. Because our breakthrough MuDT technology enables detection and quantification of multiple target genes in a single channel without melt curve analysis, this is a true next-generation qPCR technology. We look forward to working with QIAGEN to create innovative assay panels that improve life for patients and meet the workflow needs of molecular laboratories.”

QIAsymphony is an innovative, easy-to-use modular system that integrates a molecular laboratory's workflow from initial biological sample processing to final insights. The three modules of QIAsymphony RGQ MDx are QIAsymphony SP for sample preparation, QIAsymphony AS for assay setup (integrated into the SP module), and QIAGEN's real-time PCR detection platform Rotor-Gene Q MDx. QIAsymphony RGQ MDx received FDA clearance in early 2014

The menu of diagnostics running on the QIAsymphony platform so far includes 13 CE-IVD marked tests available in 30 European countries and six FDA-approved or cleared diagnostics in the United States. QIAGEN’s first highly multiplexed assay running on Rotor-Gene Q, the RespiFinder RG Panel for detection and differentiation of 21 respiratory pathogens, was recently launched in Europe.