TGen News & Press Releases

• Written by Steve Yozwiak /
• Posted Friday June 5, 2009

'RainDance' ships new sequencing solution to TGen

Technology expected to enhance speed and quality of research

RainDance Technologies Inc. today announced the shipment of an RDT 1000 and Sequence Enrichment Solution to the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen).

RainDance, based in Lexington, Mass., is a provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease research.

TGen, a non-profit biomedical research institute based in Phoenix, Arizona, focuses on the translation of laboratory discoveries into personalized medicine, developing earlier diagnostics and better treatments for patients with many forms of cancer, neurological and cardiovascular diseases, and infectious diseases.

Dr. David Duggan, an Investigator in TGen's Genetic Basis of Human Disease Division, said one of the initial applications of the RainDance solution would focus on resequencing regions of the human genome identified as part of genome-wide association studies.

"The RainDance technology has tremendous breadth. We are also discussing its use in candidate gene and pathways studies, as well as targeting known disease-causing genes," Dr. Duggan said.

Dr. Jeffrey Trent, TGen's President and Research Director, said the use of RainDance products should further improve the speed and quality of TGen's cutting-edge scientific investigations.

"TGen should significantly reduce the time required to conduct experiments by exponentially accelerating multiple applications for genome-level partitioning, including the generation of large amounts of targeted resequencing data," Dr. Trent said.

"TGen is a recognized leader in the application of next-generation sequencing technologies to translational medicine research," said Christopher McNary, President and Chief Executive Officer of RainDance Technologies. "Our Sequence Enrichment Solution and RDT 1000 system will accelerate their ability to perform large-scale targeted resequencing studies that will help realize the exciting benefits of personalized medicine."

The RainDance solution consists of the RDT 1000 instrument, consumables kits, and custom PCR primer libraries. The solution uses RainDance's breakthrough RainStorm™ microdroplet-based technology platform.

The simplicity and speed of the technology are designed to maximize the efficiency of next-generation DNA sequencing workflows. The RDT 1000 generates picoliter-volume PCR reactions at the rate of 10 million discrete reactions per hour. High-speed sample processing is further enhanced by the fact that the Sequence Enrichment Solution uses a library of PCR primers in droplets enabling the amplification of hundreds to thousands of genomic loci in a single tube. The technology leverages the specificity of PCR to provide high breadth of coverage for the regions of interest.

The RainStorm format avoids the limitations of traditional multiplex hybridization and amplification technologies. RainDance's solution minimizes process-induced bias or error and requires only a few micrograms of genomic DNA.

The commercial version of the Sequence Enrichment Solution is now being shipped in North America and will soon be delivered to the company's first customer in Europe. For more information, contact [email protected], call 781-861-6300, or visit the company's Website at www.raindancetech.com.

About RainDance Technologies, Inc.
RainDance Technologies, Inc., is a provider of innovative microdroplet-based solutions for human health and disease research. The speed and simplicity of the company's exciting new technology platform enable researchers to design experiments in ways that were previously unaffordable or unimaginable. The company's RainStorm™ technology produces picoliter-volume droplets at a rate of 10 million per hour. Each droplet is the functional equivalent of an individual test tube and can contain a single molecule, reaction, or cell. This versatile technology can adapt proven assays for high-speed workflows with minimized process-induced bias or error.

RainDance's initial application will focus on the targeted sequencing of the human genome - one of the fastest-growing segments of the $1 billion DNA sequencing market. This application will enable the high-resolution analysis of genetic variation between individuals and populations at a level unmatched by current methodology.

For more information, please visit www.raindancetech.com.

RainStorm™ is a trademark of RainDance Technologies Inc.

About TGen
The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life changing results. Research at TGen is focused on helping patients with diseases such as cancer, neurological disorders and diabetes. TGen is on the cutting edge of translational research where investigators are able to unravel the genetic components of common and complex diseases. Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical communities, TGen believes it can make a substantial contribution to the efficiency and effectiveness of the translational process. For more information, visit www.tgen.org.

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Notes to Editors:
Press inquiries: Don Goncalves, 781-793-9380, [email protected]
Corporate questions: Steve Becker, 781-861-6300, [email protected]
Technical questions: Jim Brayer, 781-861-6300, [email protected]
TGen press contact: Steve Yozwiak, 602-343-8704, [email protected]
In Europe: Patrick Kelly, +44-786-3200-242, [email protected]
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