Bio-Techne Launches New Panel Resolving Hard-to-Decipher Carrier Screening Genes

AmplideX^® Nanopore Carrier Plus Kit uses nanopore sequencing to resolve high-prevalence genes.

MINNEAPOLIS and OXFORD, England, March 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) today announced that Asuragen, a Bio-Techne brand, has teamed up with Oxford Nanopore Technologies to launch the AmplideX^® Nanopore Carrier Plus Kit, a new genetic panel and supporting analysis software for carrier screening research. This innovative kit helps laboratories resolve genes that are challenging to analyze by conventional short-read sequencing and only partially resolved by ancillary assays. The panel is available for research use only.

In 2021, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) updated its recommendations for carrier screening to include many genes that cannot be analyzed by standard short-read sequencing. In fact, half of the 10 most common genes that contribute to the risk of couples having a child with a genetic disorder are problematic for short-read sequencing. Until now, laboratories have relied on multiple test technologies, including MLPA, Sanger sequencing, qPCR, long-range PCR, and others, to analyze the recommended genes.

The AmplideX Nanopore Carrier Plus Kit addresses two problems for laboratories: it provides a single streamlined method, and it delivers comprehensive sequencing data compared to alternative assays. By combining novel AmplideX long-range PCR and nanopore long reads, it directly captures large genomic variants. The 11-gene panel includes the most prevalent recommended genes that cannot be detected accurately with legacy short-read sequencing methods, allowing labs to replace a patchwork testing approach with a single workflow to simplify sample-to-answer results. The kit also includes software to enable straightforward analysis without the need for advanced bioinformatics resources.

"Our Asuragen brand is known globally for its thoughtfully designed, high-quality molecular diagnostic products," said Dr. Matt McManus, President of Bio-Techne's Diagnostics & Spatial Biology Segment. "We chose nanopore sequencing to support the AmplideX Nanopore Carrier Plus Kit because it accurately delivers the richer data and longer reads required, making it an ideal solution for labs looking to provide superior and cost-effective carrier screening research results."

Gordon Sanghera, CEO of Oxford Nanopore Technologies, commented: "We are delighted that the Bio-Techne team recognizes the unique value of rich nanopore reads to support this important new gene panel for carrier screening research. Bio-Techne has a long and well-deserved reputation for delivering simpler and more reliable testing workflows with gold-standard reagents and kits to generate better answers. We expect this new panel will be a welcome relief for laboratory teams that have until now been forced to deploy a half-dozen or more technologies to adhere to expanded carrier screening guidelines."

The AmplideX Nanopore Carrier Plus Kit targets the following genes: CFTR, CYP21A2, F8 inversions, FMR1, GBA, HBA1, HBA2, HBB, SMN1, SMN2, and TNXB.

About Oxford Nanopore Technologies

Oxford Nanopore Technologies' goal is to bring the widest benefits to society through enabling the analysis of anything, by anyone, anywhere. The company has developed a new generation of nanopore-based sensing technology for real-time, high-performance, accessible, and scalable analysis of DNA and RNA. The technology is used in more than 120 countries to understand the biology of humans and diseases such as cancer, plants, animals, bacteria, viruses, and whole environments. Oxford Nanopore Technologies products are intended for molecular biology applications and are not intended for diagnostic purposes. For more, visit: https://nanoporetech.com/

Contact:
[email protected]

About Bio-Techne

Bio-Techne Corporation (NASDAQ: TECH) is a global life sciences company providing innovative tools and bioactive reagents for the research and clinical diagnostic communities. Bio-Techne products assist scientific investigations into biological processes and the nature and progress of specific diseases. They aid in drug discovery efforts and provide the means for accurate clinical tests and diagnoses. With thousands of products in its portfolio, Bio-Techne generated approximately $1.2 billion in net sales in fiscal 2024 and has approximately 3,100 employees worldwide. For more information on Bio-Techne and its brands, please visit https://www.bio-techne.com or follow the Company on social media at: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.

Contact:
David Clair, Vice President, Investor Relations & Corporate Development
[email protected]
612-656-4416

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SOURCE Bio-Techne Corporation