SINGAPORE – A*STAR’s Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) has established a strategic joint laboratory initiative with Pyrobett Pte Ltd, a Singapore-based joint venture between BMS[1]and QIAGEN[2] to develop a pyrosequencing platform for clinical diagnostics. Located within the same building as GIS, the new GIS-Pyrobett laboratory is in line with GIS’ global vision to use genomic science towards improving modern healthcare.
Pyrosequencing is a technique of ‘sequencing by synthesis’, where sequences are delivered by performing ‘gold standard’ genetic analysis on luminometric-detected pyrophosphate (PPi), which is well-released during DNA synthesis.
As part of the collaboration, Pyrobett will integrate its pyrosequencing platform technology with GIS's molecular diagnostic assay development expertise to develop and validate pyrosequencing-based diagnostics assays covering a wide range of bacterial and viral genotyping, mutations associated with drug resistance, as well as cancer detection. The novel pyrosequencing platform currently developed by Pyrobett and GIS is a first-of-its-kind real-time sequencing platform that is able to churn out analysed sequence data, including nucleic acid extraction and target DNA amplification in less than five hours.
“With an automated workflow and simple user interface, the pyrosequencer enables users to confidently identify and quantify genetic hotspots, as well as validate whole genome sequencing or sequence array data with high accuracy at a low cost," said Mr John Corbett, CEO of Pyrobett.
Dr Alexander Lezhava, group leader and collaboration lead at the GIS, said, “Together with GIS’s genomics expertise, our Translational Research Laboratory[3] will support the GIS-Pyrobett joint laboratory diagnostics assays development and validation. The joint laboratory is also in the process of establishing important collaborations with major hospitals in Singapore to accomplish clinical validation studies.”
Professor Ng Huck Hui, Executive Director of GIS said, “The GIS-Pyrobett pyrosequencing platform will allow healthcare practitioners to obtain valuable genomic data to get to the crux of medical conditions in a quicker, more accurate and cost-effective manner. This goes a long way in better informing clinical diagnosis and contributing to targeted therapeutics for patients.”
“A common theme today is that information is becoming the driver in healthcare. Guiding medical treatments using genomic information is critical, especially to achieve the best clinical outcomes for patients,” said Jean-Pascal Viola, Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Business Development at QIAGEN. “By providing the leading technologies and efficient workflows, this collaboration will create a platform to better guide research and provide precise diagnosis for medical decision-making.”
For media queries and clarifications, please contact:
Ms Winnie Lim
Head, Office of Corporate Communications
Genome Institute of Singapore, A*STAR
Tel: +65 6808 8013
Email:limcp2@gis.a-star.edu.sg