RainDance Technologies wins first European order from Atlas Biolabs

RainDance Technologies, a provider of microdroplet-based systems for human health and disease research based in Lexington, MA, US has taken the first European order for its Sequence Enrichment Solution from Atlas Biolabs of Berlin, Germany, a genomic services provider.

Atlas Biolabs" purchase includes the RDT 1000 system, PCR primer libraries, consumables kits and training services.

Christopher McNary, president and ceo of RainDance, said the sale represents a key addition to the company's global service provider network. "With our Sequence Enrichment Solution in place at Atlas Biolabs, European researchers will have immediate access to our technology. It will enable scientists to perform high-resolution analysis of genetic variation between individuals within populations at a level unmatched by current methodologies," he said.

The company claims its microdroplet PCR-based solution for sequence enrichment is superior to all others available on the market because it is less prone to the selection bias associated with targeted sequencing.

Dr Peter Nuernberg, co-founder and ceo of Atlas Biolabs said: "Using the RainDance technology, we can amplify up to 4000 amplicons in a single PCR process with essentially no allelic amplification bias and a near 100% success rate of PCR primer pairs."

Nuernberg said Atlas Biolabs is discussing the RainDance Sequence Enrichment Solution with key customers and will invite them to perform proof-of-principle experiments once the instrument is installed.

RainDance will begin designing custom DNA primer libraries for Atlas Biolabs" customers and anticipates shipping the RDT 1000 system by July 2009.

The company anticipates announcing additional European sales in the coming weeks.