Kyowa Medex forms a joint business with Toyobo, for fully automated gene analysis system GENECUBE®
April 20, 2011
Tokyo, April 13, 2011 - Kyowa Medex Co., Ltd. ("Kyowa Medex") today announced an agreement for a joint business development contract with Toyobo Co., Ltd. ("Toyobo") with regard to GENECUBE® fully automated gene analysis system. Under the agreement, both companies will market GENECUBE® and its specialized reagents.
The fully automated gene analysis system GENECUBE® is characterized by its simple and rapid operation. Gene analysis # 1 enables pathogen to be specified using minute amounts of biological sample material, and is expected to play a critical role in the field of infectious disease diagnosis. However, the assay methods used to date have been extremely complex with long processing time required to obtain the result. Despite its efficacy gene analysis has not been widely adopted.
GENECUBE® gene analysis will overcome these problems, and by working together both in the sale of GENECUBE® and the development of specialized reagents, Kyowa Medex and Toyobo aim to promote the adoption of gene analysis.
- # 1:Gene analysis
Gene analysis is a process in which genes, after extraction from blood, tissue or other such organic material, are amplified through an enzyme reaction to enable pathogen to be determined.
Characteristics of GENECUBE®
- Simplicity: Analytical procedure is much easier than with previous equipments
GENECUBE® gene analysis is carried out automatically, with the operator simply loading the biological sample material (blood, tissue or other) into the analyzer, along with reagents and certain other consumable items used in the process, in line with instructions.
GENECUBE® is the first analyzer used by medical institutions that can automatically amplify genes derived from biological sample material other than blood using specialized reagents and consumable items. - Rapidity: Analysis time is significantly reduced
By using dedicated extraction and amplification reagents, analysis that previously required several hours can now be completed within 30 to 40 minutes. This enables the results of gene analysis to be reflected in patient management within the same day. - Range of specialized reagents
Currently, reagents are available to identify helicobacter pylori, mycobacterium tuberculosis, and non-tuberculous mycobacteria. The companies intend to develop further targets, focusing on infectious diseases.
