Fluidigm to develop and supply a custom high-throughput prep system for HLA typing

Fluidigm (www.fluidigm.com) announced an agreement to develop and supply a customized version of its high- throughput library prep system to the DKMS (Deutsche Knochenmarkspenderdatei gemeinnützige Gesellschaft mbH) Life Science Lab. The new system will help the DKMS accelerate its research to fight against blood cancer by ultimately enabling it to characterize the HLA genes from several thousand samples a week for its donor registry. The Fluidigm custom Access Array™ System, currently under development, will seamlessly automate library preparation for next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a new integrated fluidic circuit (IFC) that will greatly increase sample throughput. This new format specifically addresses the sample throughput and quality requirements demanded by DKMS, while meeting the complexity of library prep for HLA typing. The DKMS expects to go live with the new Access Array System in the fall of this year.

The DKMS is focused on finding stem cell donors for patients with blood cancer and other severe blood diseases. The objective of HLA testing is to determine the degree of tissue compatibility between transplant recipients and donors. The higher the number of HLA matches, the lower the risk of rejection following transplantation. Given the diversity of the HLA system, allele-specific approaches are required for donor-recipient matching. The custom high-throughput Access Array System and NGS will enhance the DKMS’s capability for high-resolution HLA typing at a fraction of the cost of conventional sequence-based typing.

“The DKMS is very excited about the opportunities arising through the application of NGS for HLA typing,” reported Dr. Alexander Schmidt, Scientific Director. “Taking advantage of Fluidigm’s technologies, we have successfully established a fast and lean NGS workflow. We are very much looking forward to the new Access Array format that will increase the amazing throughput even further!”

“This project demonstrates Fluidigm’s willingness to develop enabling, customized solutions that address bottlenecks for research performed in high-throughput clinical labs,” said Gajus Worthington, Fluidigm President and Chief Executive Officer. “The work that the DKMS does is critical in the fight against leukemia. Fluidigm is proud to be part of the fight.”