Nanogen new Nanochip

Effective prognosis of disease is spurring the uptake of molecular diagnostics. In an Oct 2004 study by Frost & Sullivan, analysis reveals that revenue in this market should total $1.22bn in 2004 and is projected to reach $3.68bn in 2010. Physicians recognise the predictive value of diagnostics, such as those to detect genetic mutations associated with a variety of diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, Alzheimer's, and cancer.

To address the need for diagnostic technology to improve healthcare treatment, San Diego-based biotech company Nanogen has introduced its NanoChip 400 molecular diagnostic system at a human genetics conference.

Nanogen's second-generation system is a more automated, higher-throughput (400 test sites on each microarray versus a previous 100 test sites) and smaller version of the NanoChip molecular biology workstation, designed specifically for clinical labs needing to run tests to predict infectious and genetic diseases.

The automated multi-purpose system facilitates detection of known genetic sequences, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), utilising a 400-site electronic microarray upon which molecular tests can be developed and conducted.

'The NanoChip 400 incorporates features requested by customers from their experience with our first workstation together with Nanogen's most advanced technology to produce a versatile, reliable and automated platform for developing and performing molecular tests in clinical labs,' said Howard Birndorf, Nanogen chairman and chief executive officer. 'Our next step in offering advanced diagnostics will be to build our portfolio of ASRs to detect genetic mutations and infectious disease agents. The NanoChip 400 and our growing portfolio of ASRs will provide our customers a wide variety of high-quality products for conducting simple to complex molecular analyses.'