Idaho Technology Inc. Receives Exclusive Licensing for 'Monitoring Amplification with FRET Probes' Patent from University of Utah

Idaho Technology Inc. announced today that the company has received exclusive licensing rights to U.S. Patent No. 7,160,998, entitled "Monitoring Amplification With FRET Probes," issued to the University of Utah Research Foundation on January 9, 2007.

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) January 18, 2007 -- Idaho Technology Inc. announced today that the company has received exclusive licensing rights to U.S. Patent No. 7,160,998, entitled "Monitoring Amplification With FRET Probes," issued to the University of Utah Research Foundation on January 9, 2007. The patent covers real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification kits using two deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA) probes each labeled with an individual fluorescent molecule. Hybridization of these probes to a specific region of DNA produces a measurable signal by fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET). Idaho Technology employs this technology in commercial freeze-dried reagents used to detect pathogens and mutations on the LightCycler® and Ruggedized Advanced Pathogen Identification Device (R.A.P.I.D.®) systems.

Primary inventor Carl T. Wittwer, M.D. Ph.D., states "…the new patent further strengthens our position in rapid, real-time PCR and melting analysis, now to include kits with FRET probes." Diagnostic kits from other manufacturers using this technology include Factor V Leiden, Prothrombin polymorphisms, and the detection of pathogens associated with septicemia.

The FRET DNA probe system enables real-time detection similar to other DNA hybridization probe systems. The system also analyzes post-PCR melting curves to discriminate sequence variants.

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