Fluidigm Secures Licenses To Key Inventions For Detecting Fetal Genetic Characteristics In Maternal Plasma

Main Category: Genetics
Also Included In: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 02 Dec 2008 - 4:00 PST

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Fluidigm Corporation today announced that it has secured co-exclusive licenses to Stanford University inventions that detect fetal genetic characteristics in maternal plasma, including the use of a combination of digital PCR* and high-throughput sequencing.

These licenses specifically cover a technique announced by a group of Stanford researchers several months ago that counted chromosomes by finding trace amounts of fetal DNA in a pregnant woman's blood. The paper -- Noninvasive Diagnosis of Fetal Aneuploidy by Shotgun Sequencing DNA from Maternal Blood -- was published in the October 6, 2008 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Because small amounts of fetal DNA are present in maternal blood quite early in pregnancy, researchers believe this technique can provide a much earlier and safer diagnosis for fetal aneuploidy than is now available.

"The research that combines Fluidigm's digital PCR technology and high-throughput sequencing is a breakthrough in the quest for a non-invasive means of diagnosing fetal aneuploidy," said Gajus Worthington, Fluidigm President and CEO. "By combining these technologies, the researchers were able to detect over-representation of chromosomes from the fetus."

The licenses specifically cover Stanford University inventions relating to:

-- Non-invasive Fetal Genetic Screening by Digital Analysis;
-- Noninvasive Diagnosis of Fetal Aneuploidy by Sequencing; and
-- Digital PCR Enables Rapid Prenatal Diagnosis of Fetal Aneuploidy.

In an earlier Stanford University press release, Stephen Quake**, PhD, professor of bioengineering and the study's senior author said, "This technique is on the leading edge of a flood of different ways that rapid DNA sequencing will be used in medicine. Non-invasive testing will be much safer than current approaches."

Researchers used Fluidigm's integrated fluidic circuits (IFCs) to count individual molecules -- using the company's digital PCR technology -- to set the exact parameters for sequencing steps that helped determine the amounts of critical fetal DNA.

Fluidigm is the only company today offering a commercially proven digital PCR system. The company's BioMark(TM) Digital Array is an IFC designed specifically for digital PCR. This chip partitions a sample premixed with PCR reagents into 765 replicate reactions, thus allowing the absolute quantification of target sequences. Digital arrays transform digital PCR into a straightforward approach for PCR applications demanding extreme accuracy of copy number. In contrast, when performed on traditional technologies such as microwell plates or assays, digital PCR has proven to be an impractical technique.

About Fluidigm

Fluidigm develops, manufactures and markets proprietary Integrated Fluidic Circuit (IFC) systems that significantly improve productivity in life science research. Fluidigm's IFCs enable the simultaneous performance of thousands of sophisticated biochemical measurements in extremely minute volumes. These "integrated circuits for biology" are made possible by miniaturizing and integrating liquid handling components on a single microfabricated device. Fluidigm's IFC systems, consisting of instrumentation, software and single-use IFCs, increase throughput, decrease costs and enhance sensitivity compared to conventional laboratory systems. Fluidigm products have not been cleared or approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use as a diagnostic and are only available for research use.

For more information, please visit http://www.Fluidigm.com.

* Digital PCR is a technique to quantify the amount of DNA in a sample by counting amplifications from single molecules.

** Stephen Quake is a co-founder of Fluidigm and the chair of the company's scientific advisory board. He is a co-chair of the bioengineering department at Stanford University and one of the world's leading experts in microfluidics.

Fluidigm