SALT LAKE CITY—Myriad RBM, a wholly owned subsidiary of Myriad Genetics, Inc., today announced the launch of immunoassay services based on the ultrasensitive Simoa™ (single molecule array) platform developed by Quanterix. The Simoa platform enables the accurate measurement of protein biomarkers that were previously difficult or even impossible to detect in blood samples.
“The Simoa platform is an exciting new tool that is 100 to 1,000 times more sensitive than conventional tests for blood-based protein biomarkers and will open up new avenues of clinical research,” said Ralph McDade, president of Myriad RBM in a press release announcing the development. “We believe Simoa will significantly accelerate biomedical discoveries by providing researchers with valuable insights into both the underlying mechanisms of disease and the safety and efficacy of pharmaceuticals.”
“Understanding the incredible role of quantifying ultra-low concentrations of protein biomarkers in human blood samples and their linkage to the complex mechanisms of a disease has the potential to revolutionize the field of medicine as we know it,” said Kevin Hrusovsky, executive chairman of Quanterix. “We are very pleased to be collaborating with Myriad RBM and to be working together to provide access to these important new developments in healthcare.”
The Simoa platform uses single molecule measurements to access previously undetectable proteins. With this unprecedented sensitivity and full automation, Simoa offers significant benefits to both research and clinical testing applications.
Initially, Myriad RBM will offer Simoa assay services for the study of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The company has manufactured and validated Simoa-based quantitative immunoassays for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) that are available from its CLIA-certified laboratory in Austin, Texas. Each assay includes carefully designed calibrators and controls to provide multiple measurements of quality, precision and accuracy. Myriad RBM plans to add more Simoa-based immunoassays throughout the year.
For more than 13 years, Myriad has been a leading provider of a broad array of multiplex immunoassay testing services to the biopharmaceutical industry. The Simoa platform adds to Myriad’s long-standing track record of scientific excellence and commitment to providing high-quality immunoassay research services The Quanterix Simoa technology has been available to researchers since early 2014 following the successful validation of the tool’s ability to measure multiple proteins simultaneously at the single molecule level using its novel technology. The unprecedented sensitivity of Simoa is the result of digital counting of chemical binding events that occur based on standard immunoassay chemistry.
Founded in 2007, Quanterix has developed an ultra-sensitive diagnostic platform capable of measuring individual proteins at concentrations 1000 times lower than the best immunoassays available today. In February, Quanterix announced that they were selected as a winner of the GE and NFL Head Health Challenge from more than 400 entries across 27 countries by a panel of leading healthcare experts in brain research, imaging technologies and advocates for the advancement of brain research. The accompanying grant provides funding to help further advance development of tests to quickly diagnose traumatic brain injuries through their ultra-sensitive Simoa technology that measures molecular signatures (biomarkers) of brain injury in blood.
Myriad RBM is a wholly owned subsidiary of Myriad Genetics, Inc. Myriad RBM’s biomarker discovery platform provides clinical researchers and healthcare providers with reproducible, quantitative, multiplexed data for hundreds of proteins to advance drug development and patient care. The Company’s proprietary Multi Analyte Profiling (MAP) technology offers preclinical and clinical researchers broad, cost-effective analyses of multiple proteins from a single, small sample volume. MAP technology also supports Myriad RBM’s drive to develop companion diagnostics in areas of unmet medical need such as neuropsychiatry, nephrology and immunology.
Myriad Genetics is a leading molecular diagnostic company dedicated to making a difference in patients' lives through the discovery and commercialization of transformative tests to assess a person's risk of developing disease, guide treatment decisions, and assess risk of disease progression and recurrence. Myriad is focused on strategic initiatives to grow existing markets, diversify through the introduction of new products, including companion diagnostics, and expand internationally.
