Alliance to Develop HIV Genotyping System

A collaboration to develop a quantitative genotyping system useful in the early detection of HIV variants has been announced by EraGen Biosciences (Madison, WI, USA) and Emory University (Atlanta, GA, USA).

According to the agreement, EraGen will provide Emory with highly sensitive mixed-population quantitative genotyping systems for HIV. In turn, Emory will provide expertise and testing results. The goal of the collaboration is to develop the world's first genotyping system for early response to therapeutic resistance.

"We believe that early HIV quantitative drug resistance monitoring is not only important for therapeutic development, but will also become the norm for clinical testing,” said Dr. James Prudent, chief scientific officer of EraGen. "Our quantitative detection technology is ideal for this application since both the susceptible and resistant forms of the virus are quantified in a single closed reaction system.”

The project is supported by a small technology transfer research (STTR) grant from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (Bethesda, MD, USA). This funding supports the developmental costs of a number of tests, building on prototype systems already developed for quantitative resistance screening of the HIV therapeutics Viread, Emtriva, and Comitia.

"EraGen has brought us a tool that will greatly accelerate our research into HIV drug resistance since the mutation rates can be quantitatively detected at an early stage, allowing physicians to optimize treatment before the virus is fully drug-resistant,” said Professor Raymond F. Schinazi, the inventor of Emtriva and other HIV drugs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, Atlanta, GA, USA) estimate that 950,000 people in the United States are infected with HIV. Around 360,000 infected patients are currently receiving antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection in the country.

EraGen's goal is to drive innovative genetic-based diagnostics and drugs to market faster. The company develops and commercializes high-performance molecular diagnostics and drug discovery products to capitalize on the rapidly growing market for personalized medicine and rapid response needs for bioterrorism.




Related Links:
EraGen
Emory University