Asuragen, Inc., a global molecular diagnostics company, has entered into a collaboration agreement with Illumina, Inc. that establishes a framework for the development and commercialisation of sequencing-based companion diagnostics in partnership with biotech and pharmaceutical companies.

Asuragen will leverage its Quantidex NGS product platform for development of customised companion diagnostics for its biotech and pharma partners on the Illumina MiSeqDx instrument. Asuragen’s recently launched Quantidex pan cancer kit demonstrates its optimised NGS system that unifies pre-analytical DNA QC, sample quantification, multiplex PCR enrichment, dual-index barcoding, and library purification and quantification, using reagents provided in a single kit. In addition, it integrates Asuragen’s analytics and reporting suite, the Quantidex Reporter, providing a straight forward sample-to-answer solution for Asuragen NGS panels.

“We are uniquely positioned to be a nimble and high quality companion diagnostic partner to biotech and pharma,” said Matt McManus, president and CEO of Asuragen.

“Sequencing-based companion diagnostic projects benefit from our established Quantidex NGS product platform, which allows for rapid and efficient development of a unique DNA and/or RNA panel of interest. The Quantidex NGS system is built under design control and manufactured in our cGMP facility, providing a high quality basis for regulated diagnostic product development.”