WaferGen Completes Development Of SmartChip Real-Time PCR System And Key Oncology Gene Panel Assays
WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art gene expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research systems, recently announced that it has completed development of the alpha version of its SmartChip Real-Time PCR System, as well as proprietary oncology gene panel assays to be used with the system. The system and oncology gene panel assays will be alpha tested at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School as part of a WaferGen research collaboration. The SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is designed as the first whole genome, high throughput gene expression real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform and promises to deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets.
The SmartChip Real-Time PCR System has the capacity to conduct 33,750 assays on a single chip. Comparatively, today's standard real-time PCR technologies are only able to run 384 assays on a single plate. Additionally, each of the system's wells is designed to support a real-time PCR reaction of 100 nanoliters. This represents a 1,000 fold decrease in the amount of reagent and sample required by today's standard real-time PCR technologies. The result is the ability to conduct gene expression research at a fraction of the time and cost associated with current technologies.
Under terms of WaferGen's collaboration with the University of Pittsburg Medical School, Steven D. Shapiro, M.D., Jack D. Myers Professor and Chairman of the Department of Medicine at University of Pittsburgh, and his team of researchers will leverage the high-throughput real-time PCR capabilities of WaferGen's SmartChip Real-Time PCR System to support their identification of therapeutically-relevant biomarkers in the areas of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and lung cancer.
"As we meet with investors at this week's 26th annual JPMorgan Healthcare Conference, we are happy to be able to share this critical development milestone for WaferGen and our next-generation gene expression technology," said Alnoor Shivji, WaferGen's chairman and chief executive officer. "We are excited to deliver the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System to Dr. Shapiro so that he and his research team can initiate what we expect to be a very successful alpha test program. We believe that the innovative capabilities of the system will provide valuable benefits to the group's research efforts and we eagerly look forward to their feedback on the product."
Dr. Shapiro is a world-renowned expert in identifying and understanding the underlying biological contributors to pulmonary diseases such as COPD and lung cancer. His laboratory has played a leading role in guiding the path of cutting-edge COPD research including key discoveries related to the biological and pathological function of proteinases. With the goal of uncovering novel and effective pulmonary disease therapeutics, Dr. Shapiro and his team employ a multidisciplinary research approach which the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is expected to strengthen.
WaferGen is presently continuing its work on the development of additional proprietary assays for the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System, including those focused in the area of toxicology. At the same time, the company is also developing an enhanced version of the system that will enable users to conduct 100,000 assays on a single chip. This will provide the opportunity for researchers to use one chip to conduct whole genome gene expression in triplicate.
About the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System
The SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is designed as the first whole genome, high throughput gene expression real-time PCR platform and promises to deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets. It is estimated that the genetic analysis market alone (comprised of gene expression and genotyping analysis) had approximately $2.4 billion in worldwide revenues in 2006 ($1.74B for gene expression and $650 million for genotyping). Total global revenue for this market is estimated to reach approximately $5.0B by 2012.
WaferGen believes the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will be the first whole genome, high throughput gene expression platform to combine the high- throughput capability and cost efficiencies of existing microarrays, with the sensitivity and accuracy of real-time PCR. Specifically, the SmartChip Real- Time PCR System's high density, rapid cycling configuration is expected to provide industry-leading throughput levels, while offering discovery and validation capabilities in a single step. The result will be the ability to conduct gene expression research at a fraction of the time and cost currently produced by existing instrument systems. For example, the company anticipates that whole genome assay time may be significantly reduced with the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System as compared to several days or months with microarrays or real-time PCR, respectively. This decrease in research time has broad economic implications across the drug development industry, particularly for pharmaceutical companies seeking avenues for reducing time to market for its therapeutics. Further, the company believes such throughput will dramatically impact the cost of such assays.
Beyond the significant time and cost advantages, the simplicity of the SmartChip Real-Time PCR System is unparalleled. The system will provide a number of key ease-of-use features including content-ready chips that can facilitate experiments without the need for advanced preparation of reagents. The user-friendly SmartChip Real-Time PCR System will accept samples out of the box, incorporating nearly all necessary substrates and chemicals. At the same time, the system will only require a very small sample size as compared to other technologies and platforms.
About WaferGen
WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. is a leader in the development, manufacture and sale of state-of-the-art systems for gene expression, genotyping, cell biology and stem cell research for the life science and pharmaceutical industries. The company is actively developing its SmartChip product for the gene expression and genotyping markets. SmartChip is being developed as the first whole genome, high throughput gene expression real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) platform and promises to deliver significant speed and cost advantages to researchers in the gene expression and genotyping markets. WaferGen currently markets its SmartSlide(TM) family of products to companies and organizations involved in stem cell and cell biology research. SmartSlide, which was launched in 2006, represents the first fluidics integrated micro-incubators enabling cell biology and stem cell research. Representative SmartSlide customers include Harvard University, Mayo Clinic, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, Abbott Labs, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
To learn more about WaferGen, please visit the company's web site at www.wafergen.com.
SOURCE: WaferGen Biosystems, Inc.