IC-Code Technology
Rock Hill, SC (PRWEB) April 02, 2015
One of the most crucial goals in molecular diagnostics is to avoid false negative results. MultiGEN Diagnostics, LLC (MultiGEN), a wholly owned subsidiary of Physicians Choice Laboratory Services, LLC (PCLS), has developed a novel platform technology, IC-Code™ which significantly reduces or eliminates false negatives, while at the same time maintains confirmatory positive results in molecular diagnosis.
“This unique combination is expected to improve the quality of molecular diagnostics in clinical medicine,” said Dr. Thuraiayah Moorthy, President MultiGEN.
The IC-Code™ is a DNA sequencing platform technology designed to develop nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT) with a true internal control. The patented technology provides identical test conditions for both the built-in internal control and the pathogen(s) tested, and permits a unique DNA-based barcode in each sample. The barcode can specify the gender, sample type, customer (hospital/referring physician), collection time, specific tests and the process itself, detecting any cross contamination.
A significant application for the IC-Code™ technology is in the screening of blood supplies. According to the Red Cross, more than 15.7 million blood donations are collected annually from more than 9.2 million people. Screening of these samples is necessary to ensure there are no pathogens such as Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Bacterial meningitis, HIV and West Nile Virus. These screens have to ensure contamination free blood products and need a true internal control that can detect potential false negative results. Another application is improving MRSA screening in high risk settings for nosocomial infections. With IC-Code™, direct amplification and sequencing of the methicillin resistance gene, Pb2a, false positive results can be minimized with the added confidence that IC-Code™ will prevent false negatives.
MultiGEN and PCLS plan to use IC-Code™ platform technology to develop test panels for blood screening assays to detect Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, West Nile Virus, Bacterial/Viral Meningitis, Methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA), Septicemia, and to test viral clearance in the manufacturing of biopharmaceuticals.
“PCLS is pleased to announce MultiGEN’s use of the IC-Code™ technology to further efforts in improving patient outcomes through advanced diagnostic testing,” said PCLS President and CEO, Joe Wiegel. “PCLS believes that the technology offers the opportunity to improve patient care and in a specific and cost effective way.”
About PCLS
PCLS is an emerging esoteric laboratory that goes beyond testing to provide innovative solutions to healthcare problems. PCLS has a unique mix of services that are designed to inform physicians about their patient’s health status relative to several difficult to manage disease states including narcotic misuse and abuse, neonatal abstinence syndrome, titrating psychiatric drugs for debilitating mental disorders, recurrent/resistant bacterial infections, heart disease, gastrointestinal/urogenital disorders and cancers. The company has broadly invested in offering high value diagnostics that enable personalized and precision medicine to better manage these complicated disease states with the goal of improving health outcomes.
To access the full published article in the peer reviewed journal MethodX please use this link.
For more information, please contact Dr. T.V. Moorthy at moorthy(at)multigen-diagnostics(dot)com.
