Primagen to Provide Quest with Mitochondrial Blood Test

A developer of molecular diagnostic tests for infectious diseases, AIDS, and cancer, Primagen Holding B.V. (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), has agreed to provide reagents and kits to Quest Diagnostics, Inc. (Teterboro, NJ, USA), to perform its proprietary Retina Mitox test to quantify human mitochondrial DNA in blood cells for studies by government, academic, and clinical research organizations.

Mitochondria are unique in having their own replication enzyme, DNA polymerase gamma. Antiviral drugs used against HIV, called nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), affect the function of this enzyme, leading to the depletion of mitochondrial DNA. This inhibition of mitochondrial DNA synthesis is the mechanism of several known toxicities of nucleoside analogues: myopathy, cardiomyopathy, peripheral neuropathy, pancreatitis, lactic acidosis, hepatic steatosis, and lipodystrophy.

NRTI-related toxicities present a significant problem in the treatment of patients infected with HIV-1. To help alleviate this problem, Primagen has developed a molecular test to assess the mitochondrial DNA content of cells from blood or tissue, called Retina Mitox. Through the new agreement, Quest Diagnostics will provide testing on a limited basis only to research organizations interested in studying the potential impact of the test.

Primagen designs, develops, and commercializes molecular tests that have high, individualized predictive value and improve the quality of life for patients suffering from life-threatening diseases. Its Retina Rainbow test detects all circulating HIV-1 subtypes and, combined with the company's dried bloodspot filter paper technology, brings HIV-1 viral load measurement to resource-poor environments.





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