Collaboration on DNA Methylation

(Venlo, The Netherlands) and Epigenomics AG (Frankfurt, Germany).

Under the terms of the agreement, Qiagen obtained a worldwide exclusive license from Epigenomics to develop, manufacture, market, and sell preanalytic solutions containing bisulfate treatment technology for research purposes. In the diagnostics field, Qiagen will market and sell stand-alone preanalytic solutions containing bisulfite treatment technology for use with Epigenomics' proprietary technologies and products. In addition, Qiagen received worldwide exclusive rights to Epigenomics' MethyLight assay technology for use in research applications. Qiagen intends to develop the first standardized reagent solutions for methylation pattern analysis.

The primary goal of the collaboration is to translate the cutting-edge technologies of the two companies into robust and reliable diagnostic kit components. Under an additional original equipment manufacturer agreement, Qiagen will provide Epigenomics with kit components as the preanalytic basis for Epigenomics' growing pipeline of molecular diagnostic products.

Methylation is a natural process that occurs when a methyl group binds to one of DNA's four bases, cytosine. The presence of methylation is responsible for controlling the activity of genes by turning them off, like a switch, when not needed. By measuring the differences in the methylation patterns between healthy and diseased tissue, a change in gene activity that could trigger diseases, such as cancer, is detected. Epigenomics has developed an industrial process that allows the reading and interpretation of these methylation patterns.

"We are expecting methylation research to have a strong role in clinical biomarker studies and molecular diagnostics,” said Peer Schatz, CEO of Qiagen. "The complexity of the preanalytical steps in methylation analysis up until today has represented a significant challenge and impediment for faster growth of this sector.”





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Epigenomics