Argus Optical Mapping System for microbial whole genome analysis launched at ASM 2010 General Meeting

OpGen, Inc., a microbial genomics solutions company, announced the launch of the Argus™ Optical Mapping System for microbial whole genome analysis at the ASM 2010 General Meeting held in San Diego, CA May 23-27, 2010. The Argus™ Optical Mapping System is based on Optical Mapping Technology which generates ordered, whole genome restriction maps from single DNA molecules. Unlike current methods, Optical Mapping is not a gel-based, PCR-based or sequencing-based approach. It is a unique technology for generating whole genome, high resolution restriction maps that can be used in strain typing, comparative genomics and whole genome sequence assembly.

“Optical Mapping is enabling our customers to quickly and easily investigate closely related strains and significantly improve sequence assembly quality in a cost effective manner”

Using the intuitive MapSolver™ software provided with the Argus™ Optical Mapping system, scientists are able to use Optical Maps to view and compare bacterial genomes in a manner unlike any other technology. Optical Maps can be compared to each other as well as to annotated sequences. "Optical Mapping brings an unprecedented combination of high resolution and broad coverage to microbial genome analysis. With this tool, researchers can elucidate genotype to phenotype relationships that would not be detected by other technologies," stated Dr. Richard Moore, VP, Diagnostic Systems, OpGen®.

OpGen® has delivered 7 Argus™ Optical Mapping Systems. Five of the seven US customers include: FDA (Laurel, MD); Naval Medical Research Center (Rockville, MD); The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (Ft. Detrick, MD); Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (Silver Spring, MD) and In-Q-Tel (Arlington, VA). OpGen® plans to begin delivery of the Argus™ Optical Mapping System outside the US in the fourth quarter of 2010. These facilities are currently using or planning to use the Argus™ Optical Mapping Systems to monitor outbreaks and characterize isolates with a high discriminatory power. "Optical Mapping is enabling our customers to quickly and easily investigate closely related strains and significantly improve sequence assembly quality in a cost effective manner," commented Mike Fitzpatrick, VP, Sales and Commercial Development, OpGen®.