Study highlights speed and reliability of new sample protocol for biomarker development

Hilden, Germany, and Frederick, Maryland, September 3, 2015 - A recently published study confirms the reliability and specificity of QIAGEN's exoRNeasy Serum/Plasma Maxi Kit for extraction of RNA from exosomes and other extracellular vesicles that carry genomic information through the body and are emerging as key players in biomarker development. The QIAGEN exoRNeasy kit is one of several QIAGEN initiatives to develop sample technology solutions for non-invasive liquid biopsies. These are used for molecular tests in cancer and other diseases, using fluids such as blood or serum as an alternative to tissue samples. The study appeared in the online journal PLOS ONE.

"The QIAGEN exoRNeasy Maxi Kit provides a faster, more reliable way to isolate RNA from exosomes for research, delivering high-quality results with less labor-intensive sample preparation. Our standardized protocol, developed in partnership with Exosome Diagnostics, Inc., is the most sophisticated method for the extraction of RNA from exosomes," said Dr. Markus Sprenger-Haussels, Senior Director and Head of QIAGEN's Sample Technologies unit for the Life Sciences. Dr. Sprenger-Haussels is a co-author of the study with collaborators from Exosome Diagnostics and QIAGEN. "The study also reinforces QIAGEN's leadership for sample technologies which are paving the way for the growing acceptance of liquid biopsies. QIAGEN provides a range of novel sample technologies for liquid biopsies to help gain valuable molecular insights from easily collected samples of blood or other liquids."

Exosomes are tiny enclosures that circulate in blood and other body fluids carrying genomic information, including RNA, mRNAs and miRNAs. In 2013 QIAGEN and Exosome Diagnostics established a partnership to develop and commercialize high-performance sample preparation kits for processing these molecules. In 2014 QIAGEN began launching the first standardized sample kits for exosome research, including the exoRNeasy Maxi Kit for larger samples (up to 4 ml), the exoRNeasy Midi Kit for smaller samples (1 ml or less), and the exoEasy Maxi Kit for isolation of intact exosomes and other extracellular vesicles.

QIAGEN's leading portfolio of solutions for pre-analytical processing of molecular biomarkers from blood and other fluids can support a variety of analytical targets for researchers, including:

  • Cell-free, circulating nucleic acids (cfDNA)
  • Circulating tumor cells (CTCs)
  • Exosomes and other extracellular vesicles

"As the world leader in sample preparation, QIAGEN's partnership with Exosome Diagnostics is accelerating the pace at which researchers and drug developers across the globe are utilizing exosomes from biofluids. Exosomes provide a powerful molecular research approach that is getting significant attention given its many advantages over tissue-based approaches," said Johan Skog, Chief Scientific Officer, Exosome Diagnostics. "Our ongoing collaboration with QIAGEN and these important new data provide further validation that Exosome Diagnostics' technology offers a highly sensitive and reproducible method to isolate and extract nucleic acid from exosomes for routine laboratory use."

QIAGEN also is actively partnering with pharmaceutical and biotech companies to develop companion diagnostics using liquid biopsies for stratification or monitoring of patients. In January 2015, QIAGEN announced the CE-IVD marking of its therascreen EGFR RGQ Plasma PCR kit, the first regulated companion diagnostic assay based on analysis of molecular biomarkers from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). The kit detects a range of EGFR mutations in blood plasma, when a tumor sample is not evaluable for a patient, to guide the use of IRESSA® in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions to transform biological materials into valuable molecular insights. QIAGEN sample technologies isolate and process DNA, RNA and proteins from blood, tissue and other materials. Assay technologies make these biomolecules visible and ready for analysis. Bioinformatics software and knowledge bases interpret data to report relevant, actionable insights. Automation solutions tie these together in seamless and cost-effective molecular testing workflows. QIAGEN provides these workflows to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare), Applied Testing (forensics, veterinary testing and food safety), Pharma (pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies) and Academia (life sciences research). As of June 30, 2015, QIAGEN employed approximately 4,400 people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be found athttp://www.qiagen.com .


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