NuGEN enables next-generation sequencing of DNA and RNA from FFPE samples

3 Nov 2010

NuGEN Technologies is making available the first commercial products using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to analyze nucleic acids extracted from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tissues.

The new products, Ovation WGA FFPE and Ovation RNA-Seq FFPE, complement NuGEN’s current FFPE products, which are widely used for RNA analysis on microarrays.

Now, researchers can analyze either RNA or DNA from FFPE tissue samples using expression microarrays, array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) or NGS.

With reduced sample input requirements and high fidelity sequencing results sufficient to detect single nucleotide variations, NuGEN’s linear amplification enables preservation of copy number changes with small amounts of starting DNA without risk of forming chimeras or polymerase error propagation. The Ovation WGA FFPE System is the only whole genome amplification solution to provide sufficient yields to enable analysis by both aCGH and NGS from a single reaction.

The Ovation RNA-Seq FFPE System is the first sample preparation solution for transcriptome profiling with FFPE tissue. In just six hours, it produces double-stranded cDNA ready for library construction on all leading NGS platforms.

“While ideal for retrospective studies, scientists have been hesitant to consume FFPE tissue blocks since they are a finite resource and there was a trade-off between amounts used and data quality,” said Dr. Doug Amorese, vice president of research and development at NuGEN.

 “With our full suite of Ovation products for FFPE, researchers can work with the smallest, most difficult RNA and DNA samples and unlock a repository of indispensable genomic data.”

Currently, there are at least 400 million archived FFPE samples in North America alone, containing vital information for clinical research in areas ranging from cancer to infectious disease.

With both the Ovation WGA FFPE System and the Ovation RNA-Seq FFPE System, customers can leverage the power of NuGEN’s proven SPIA technology to explore the genomic state of these tissues with either arrays or NGS technologies.

“With our newest Ovation offerings, we’re once again expanding the limits of what is possible in genomics, bringing the assay development expertise we’re known for to broader sample applications,” said Elizabeth Hutt, chief executive officer of NuGEN. “We’re committed to enabling researchers with solutions that provide the highest quality data from any sample — no matter how small, degraded or difficult — to help scientists on their quest to improve the overall quality of human health.”