Meridian expands technology license to animal, food and water testing
“LAMP” (Loop-mediated Isothermal Amplification) technology is a nucleic acid amplification method.
Eiken said it uses four different primers designed to recognize six regions on the target gene and the reaction is at a constant temperature using strand displacement reaction.
Meridian Bioscience said no specialized equipment is necessary to perform the test or determine the result – usually known one hour after starting the test.
The expanded license agreement allows Meridian to apply the LAMP technology to detect infectious agents which cause disease in animals or are present as contaminants in food or water.
Meridian will continue developing illumigene tests for the human infectious disease market as it seeks new development opportunities and partners in the animal and food testing markets.
Richard L. Eberly, president and chief commercial officer, said it was ‘delighted’ to expand the agreement to use the technology for the molecular detection of infectious agents in animals, food and water.
“The LAMP technology has enabled Meridian to deliver consistent innovation and build market share leadership in human molecular diagnostics. We are committed to growing our presence in the clinical market by expanding the illumigene test menu while exploring new opportunities in the veterinary, food and water testing markets.”
Meridian licensed the LAMP technology, developed in 1998, from Eiken in 2006 for the infectious disease market in humans and to expand in molecular diagnostics.
It commercialized the first human infectious disease assay, illumigene C. difficile, in 2010.
Since then, Meridian has developed and commercialized molecular tests for Group A Streptococcus, Group B Streptococcus, HSV 1&2, Pertussis, and Mycoplasma Direct in the US as well as Chlamydia, Gonorrhea and Malaria outside the country.
The firm markets products and technologies to hospitals, reference laboratories, research centers, diagnostics manufacturers and biotech companies in more than 70 countries.
Morifumi Wada, president and CEO of Eiken, said Meridian’s illumigene line of products proved that the technology has advantages for human molecular diagnostics applications.
“We are pleased to sign an amendment to expand the field of use and look forward to further contributions of our technology to animal diagnostics and food and water testing.”
