QIAGEN UNVEILS FAST CYCLING PCR TECHNOLOGY.

QIAGEN, Venlo, Netherlands, a leading provider of products for preanalytical sample preparation and molecular diagnostics, today launched its new QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR product line, which substantially accelerates and streamlines the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). PCR is a standard technique for replicating genetic material that is used in genetic research and analysis in almost all biology laboratories worldwide. The use of the newly launched QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR kit enables users to save up to 75% of the time previously required for the technique. This significant increase in speed is achieved without compromising the quality of results.

The kit is compatible with all makes and types of PCR machines (so called thermal cyclers) and with current PCR assays. Unlike other available PCR reagents, the use of the QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR Kit does not require laborious optimization (e.g. redesigning primers or PCR protocols). The kit therefore enables significant time and cost savings without the need for new equipment and sets new standards for speed and accuracy in PCR.

The availability of the new QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR Kit for general PCR applications and for amplification of complex DNA templates extends QIAGEN's wide portfolio of assay technology solutions for research and diagnostics and satisfies the increasing demand for greater speed in PCR.

In comparison with other commercially available PCR reagent kits, the new method dramatically reduces cycling times by 1 hour down to under 20 minutes. The key to this new dimension of performance in PCR technology is an innovative PCR additive system.

"This novel, proprietary technology opens a new dimension of potentials for PCR. The innovative new QIAGEN Fast Cycling PCR product line launched today offers PCR users the opportunity to increase PCR throughput by a factor of four, without triggering investments in new laboratory equipment and without compromising the quality of their results," said Dr. Ulla Deutsch, Senior Global Product Manager Amplification at QIAGEN.

QIAGEN's Fast Cycling PCR product line is for research use only. It has not been cleared or approved by authorities including the United States Food and Drug Administration or any other regulatory agency in the United States, or under the European IVD Directive, for human diagnostic or other clinical use, and is not intended and should not be used for human diagnostic or any other clinical purposes.

About PCR

The polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, found its way into many areas in biology very soon after its invention by the American Kary Mullis in 1983, who received a Nobel Prize for his discoveries in 1993. Today, PCR is the most frequently used technique in many areas of basic and applied research in molecular biology, biochemistry, and medicine, and is used in many applications, including the identification of genetic diseases and viral infections, the construction and verification of genetic fingerprints, and gene cloning.

PCR is a method for amplification of specific nucleic acid sequences from a complex mixture of nucleic acids. The DNA in a sample is separated into single strands through heating, and each strand acts as a template for enzymatic extension of the missing complementary strand. The beginning and end of the amplified segment are defined through the addition of short, highly specific DNA molecules, known as primers. This replication cycle is repeated many times, leading to exponential amplification of individual segments of DNA.

About QIAGEN

QIAGEN N.V., a Netherlands holding company, is a leading provider of innovative technologies and products for pre-analytical sample preparation and molecular diagnostics solutions. QIAGEN has developed a comprehensive portfolio of more than 500 proprietary, consumable products and automated solutions for sample collection, and nucleic acid and protein handling, separation, and purification. QIAGEN also supplies diagnostic kits, tests, and assays for human and veterinary molecular diagnostics. The company's products are sold to academic research markets, and to leading pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as to diagnostics laboratories. QIAGEN also provides purification and testing solutions to applied testing markets, such as forensics, animal or food testing, and pharmaceutical process control. QIAGEN employs more than 1,800 people worldwide. QIAGEN products are sold through a dedicated sales force and a global network of distributors in more than 40 countries.

For more information, visit http://www.qiagen.com and http://www.qiagen.com/goto/fastcycling.