QIAGEN : launches new QIAseq 16S Panels and UCP Multiplex PCR kit enabling unbiased microbiome profiling

Germantown, Maryland, and Hilden, Germany, June 7, 2018 -QIAGEN today announced the launch of the QIAseq 16S/ITS Panelsand UCP Multiplex PCR Kitwith a new generation of reagents to enable the most accurate microbial community profiling from complex microbiome samples. The new QIAseq NGS panels as well as the UCP Multiplex kit create industry-leading advances in reducing profiling bias and are being showcased at the ASM Microbe Conference 2018 in Atlanta.

The new QIAGEN UCP Multiplex PCR Kit is a stand-alone product as well as a component of the QIAseq 16S/ITS Panels. The PCR master mix has the robustness and specificity necessary for difficult microbial samples, featuring nucleic acid-depleted reagents that are tested for bacterial and fungal DNA contamination and inhibitor-resistant amplification, even for templates with up to 70% GC content.

'QIAGEN has taken on the challenge of giving scientists the most complete, unbiased microbiome profiles, and these new NGS panels are an exciting demonstration of that commitment. The introduction of bias is a serious obstacle for scientists profiling microbial communities. Our new QIAGEN kits avoid external bias in PCR and NGS library preparation with inhibitor-resistant PCR and low bioburden reagents tested for bacterial and fungal DNA contamination,' said Eric Lader, Senior Director, NGS R&D Product Development at QIAGEN.

The QIAseq 16S/ITS NGS Panels provide comprehensive and robust profiling of bacterial and fungal communities with the flexibility to interrogate any combination of bacterial 16S variable regions and fungal ITS regions on Illumina platforms. Panels are available for all of the 9 variable regions and the ITS regions. Users can index from 24 to 384 samples in a panel. QIAseq 16S/ITS Panels provide uniquely specific and unbiased interrogation of all 16S and ITS variable regions, even in low biomass samples, with low bioburden reagents and phased primers that increase read quality and quantity and eliminate the need for PhiX.

Benefits of the QIAseq 16S/ITS Panels include:

• Increased base and read quality with phased primers
• Greatly reduced background contamination with low-bioburden reagents
• Flexibility to interrogate any combination of bacterial 16S variable regions and fungal ITS regions
• Monitor library construction steps and user-introduced contamination with Smart Control
• Reliably profile low-biomass samples with DNA input as low as 1 pg

QIAGEN presence at ASM Microbe 2018

At ASM Microbe from June 7-11, 2018, more than 30 scientific abstracts highlighting studies relying on applications of a broad range of QIAGEN's Sample to Insight solutions - including disruption, sample prep, PCR, NGS library prep and bioinformatics to further knowledge of microbiology and microbiome research.

QIAGEN Leadership in Microbiome Research

As an industry pioneer of research solutions for sample preparation, in-depth molecular analyses and data interpretation, QIAGEN is a renowned supporter of microbiome research initiatives worldwide. Products from the microbiome portfolio are currently used and recommended by international consortia like the Human Microbiome Project, the Earth Microbiome Project and the MetaSUB Consortium.

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands-based holding company, is the leading global provider of Sample to Insight solutions that enable customers to gain valuable molecular insights from samples containing the building blocks of life. Our 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 workflows. QIAGEN provides solutions to more than 500,000 customers around the world in Molecular Diagnostics (human healthcare), Applied Testing (primarily forensics), Pharma (pharma and biotech companies) and Academia (life sciences research). As of March 31, 2018, QIAGEN employed approximately 4,700people in over 35 locations worldwide. Further information can be found at http://www.qiagen.com.

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