Life Technologies expands TaqMan Mutation Detection Assays

Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ: LIFE) today announced the expansion to its TaqMan^® Mutation Detection Assays -- highly sensitive and novel molecular analysis research tools designed to detect an additional 241 of the most common mutations in 21 cancer genes.

The TaqMan^® Mutation Detection Assays can screen for extremely minute levels of mutations in heterogenous samples and achieve such results in three hours with minimal hands-on time. In addition to the three genes – KRAS, BRAF and EGFR -- covered in Life Technologies' early release program last year, detection assays are now available for 21 more genes that are highly relevant for cancer research, including HRAS, NRAS, PIK3CA, KIT, PTEN and TP53, among others.

"The expansion of our TaqMan Mutation Assays now provides basic researchers with very powerful tools to accurately and quickly interrogate their samples for a broader range of key cancer mutations," said Sam Raha, Vice President & General Manager of NextGen qPCR & Content for Life Technologies. "The technology can potentially serve to evaluate biomarker-based treatments in the future." 

TaqMan^® Mutation Detection Assays are powered by castPCR (competitive allele-specific TaqMan^® polymerase chain reaction), a novel technology that utilizes a combination of proprietary assay design as well as chemistry to amplify mutations of interest and suppression factors to silence other DNA molecules in research samples. TaqMan® assays are the gold stand in the research industry, with more than 6 million assays shipped to date.

SOURCE Life Technologies Corporation