OnsiteGene developed a sample-to-answer instrument that is designed to improve PCR testing, PeakV. The instrument was developed with sponsorship from the NIH RADx initiative.
It delivers rapid thermal cycling and real-time fluorescent imaging of 40 cycles in just five minutes. In seven minutes, it completes low copy multiplex qPCR, and RT-qPCR in nine minutes.
PeakV offers a large sample volume capacity of up to 5mL, along with automated nested PCR and magnetic beads-based nucleic acid extraction. These features enhance sensitivity and specificity, surpassing traditional qPCR methods, according to the company.
Moreover, a specific cartridge used on PeakV can be manufactured at a substantially lower cost than regular microfluidics cartridges used in the field. The cartridge contains sample processing reagent and PCR reagent with a panel of up to 16 PCR tubes to conduct multiplexing tests of up to 64 targets with integrated nested PCR and pre-amplification.
The company also developed XDive, a superfast real-time PCR system that completes 40 PCR cycles with real-time imaging in as little as five minutes. It completes 40 cycle single or multiplex low-copy DNA testing in seven minutes, and low-copy multiplex RNA testing in nine minutes, at the same detection sensitivity as that on a leading brand of qPCR machine performing the same assay in 45 minutes. The company is now manufacturing and marketing this instrument and related reagents.
Further reading: Parasitology Reimagined through the Power of Multiplex PCR Assays
Photo: OnsiteGene