WaferGen offers SNP Genotyping screening with new SmartChip PCR System

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc. a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced that it is offering an early access program for high-throughput Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) Genotyping through its new SmartChip Real-Time PCR System.  The offering is being made in response to customer demand to address the increasing speed and throughput needs of genomics researchers and is part of the company's expansion on the early commercial success of its SmartChip System, specifically to enter an addressable $300 million SNP genotyping market.

"SNP Genotyping screening with the SmartChip System opens a new and large market opportunity for us, as it is focused on a $300 million addressable human and agriculture biotechnology genotyping market, part of a total SNP Genotyping market of approximately $2.8 billion.  By improving on SNP Genotyping throughput in a flexible and low-cost manner, the SmartChip System offers researchers the ability to adopt a simple workflow for their mid-density SNP screening projects," said Alnoor Shivji, chairman and chief executive officer.

"Our strategy is to expand the applicability and thereby the number of genomic research disciplines that can benefit from the high-throughput and transformative SmartChip System to address the workflow issues encountered in the modern genomics analysis workplace.  As we work towards the full commercial launch of the SNP Genotyping application, we plan to continue to expand on the functionality and applicability of our SmartChip System beyond Gene Expression and SNP Genotyping.  This will offer researchers the most productive and cost-effective genomic analysis products."

Biopharmaceutical researchers use genotyping to measure the genetic variation in individuals for disease mapping or functional SNP screening. SNP Genotyping is also becoming an important scientific tool in agriculture biotechnology for trait mapping and population genetics, in addition to human disease uses.  Using the WaferGen SmartChip Real-Time PCR System, genetic researchers will be able to address their SNP screening needs by using the SmartChip System's high throughput, flexible and simple workflow, which result in cost-effective SNP studies.

• High-throughput:  Researchers can measure up to 384 samples in a single two hour run on the 5,184 nanowell SmartChip, equating to 10,000's of data points in a single day.
• Flexibility:  SNP Genotyping on the flexible SmartChip System will offer a variety of formats to meet varying throughput needs, from tens to hundreds of SNPs and samples in various formats.  This is achieved by using the SmartChip nanowell chip, an open format that does not suffer from the limitations that may be present on currently used closed microfluidic systems.
• Ease of use: The SmartChip System provides an easy-to-use automated sample loading procedure that has minimal hands on and reduces the number of steps significantly per run.  
• Cost-effective solution:  A low cost per SNP is achieved through low reagent consumption at 100nl reactions.  The SmartChip System does not suffer from issues of large dead volume losses that may be suffered with microfluidic systems currently in use.

SOURCE WaferGen Biosystems, Inc.