Tepnel expands genetic services portfolio
The new iScan platform will enable the firm to provide its pharmaceutical customers with higher-throughput genetic analysis services using Illumina’s BeadChip-based microarrays.
Genetic analysis has become an important part of many drug discovery programmes, especially as the genetic data can not only help determine the causes of fatal conditions, but can also explain variations in patient response to drug candidates.
At the core of Illumina’s iScan system is the iScan Reader, which offers rapid, sensitive and accurate sub-micron imaging of Illumina’s BeadChip-based genetic analysis assay systems.
In combination with the Illumina’s LIMS (laboratory information management system) and automation offerings, the iScan system can analyse 225m genotypes per day.
“This new addition to our service opens up the possibility to our customers of whole genome association, focused content analysis, copy number variation analysis and epigenetics on both human and non-human samples, all within a regulatory compliant environment,” said David Scott, General Manager of Tepnel’s Livingston facility.
“Tepnel can offer customers a broad portfolio of innovative genetic analysis assays some of which are supported on our new high-throughput iScan reader.”
The addition of the iScan platform marks the first anniversary of the opening of Tepnel’s £5m (€6.4m) pharmaceutical services facility in Livingston, Scotland, which was partly funded by Scottish Enterprise, Edinburgh and Lothian.
Last July, Tepnel acquired laboratory service providers Wildlife DNA Services and Food DNA Services to “accelerate Tepnel’s entry into the clinical genotyping arena” and “supply the hands-on expertise” needed for the company to succeed in an already competitive market place.
“Accelerating and expanding our molecular genetic services at this rapid pace reflects our commitment to the long-term strategy of building Tepnel’s market presence in the fast-growing sectors of pharmacogenomics / pharmacogenetics and genetic disease disposition testing,” said Allan Brown, managing director of Tepnel Research Products & Services.
These company’s genotyping services are offered as a complete end-to-end genotyping service from DNA extraction, through to SNP genotyping and DNA sequencing, all undertaken in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
In addition to the multi-plex genotyping assay service it provides based on Illumina’s BeadChip systems, Tepnel also offers a single-plex service that utilises Applied Biosystem’s Taqman PCR (polymerase chain reaction) system.
These services are bolstered by the company’s experience of working with short tandem repeat (STR/microsatellite) markers using Applied Biosystems 3130x1 capillary electrophoresis instruments.
The 3130x1 instruments can also be used for DNA sequencing, which is routinely used to validate the results from the company’s genetic services programmes.
Additionally, all the company’s genotyping services have been designed to offer full audit trail tracking, with modular automation controlled by GAMP and CFR21 compliant software.
