Asuragen

Asuragen is a Molecular Diagnostic and Pharmacogenomic Service company headquartered in Austin, Texas focused on personalized medicine and companion diagnostics with an emphasis on early detection of cancer and mRNA/microRNA applications in oncology.

Diagnostics
Offerings include RNA, MicroRNA and DNA based molecular diagnostic products providing identification of genetic abnormalities associated with oncology and genetic diseases. Multiplex assay oncology tests for leukemia, including abnormalities associated with CML, BCR/ABL ALL, APL, AML, NPM1, KRAS/BRAF (which are oncogenes associated with epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR), RNA stabilization products with its Armored RNA technology and a genetic test for Fragile X Mental Retardation FMR1.

Services
RNA-related services, including analyst isolation/preparation from multiple sample types, genomic profiling, miRNA/mRNA expression profiling, biomarker discovery, assay design and validation, CLIA-based clinical testing, bioinformatic analysis, and regulatory and project management services.

Clinical Reference Laboratory
The laboratory is Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment (CLIA) certified and College of American Pathology (CAP) accredited. Clinical laboratory testing services include the miRInform® Thyroid Panel which detects known cancer-associated mutations and translocations in fine needle aspirates (FNA) of thyroid nodules, miRInform® Pancreas which analyzes miRNA expression patterns within FNAs of pancreatic masses to aid in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PDAC) and Xpansion Interpreter® which utilizes novel PCR technology to comprehensively genotype the 5' region of the FMR1 gene in order to assess the risk of expansion in future generations.

Asuragen Patents
Methods and Compositions Involving MicroRNA: The following present inventions concern methods and compositions for isolating, enriching, and/or labeling miRNA molecules and for preparing and using arrays or other detection techniques for miRNA analysis. Moreover, the present invention concerns methods and compositions for generating miRNA profiles and employing such profiles for therapeutic, diagnostic, and prognostic applications.Patent No. 7888010 issued 02/15/2011, Patent No. 8003320 issued 08/23/2011, Patent No. 7919245 issued 04/05/2011, Patent No. 8058250 issued 11/15/2011, Patent No. 7993831 issued 08/09/2011

Ribonuclease Resistant Viral RNA Standards: The following present inventions are directed to the process of creating a recombinant nucleic acid standard which is resistant to ribonuclease digestion and is non-infectious. These "ARMORED RNA" standards are ideal as RNA standards for the quantification of RNA viruses such as HIV and HCV from human body fluids such as blood and cerebrospinal fluid. Patent No. 5677124 issued 010/14/1997, Patent No. 5919625 issued 07/06/1999

Ribonuclease Resistant RNA Preparation and Utilization: The following present inventions relate to nuclease resistant nucleic acids in general and ribonuclease resistant RNAs in particular. Methods of making and using such nucleic acids are disclosed. Patent No. 5939262 issued 08/17/1999, Patent No. 6214982 issued 04/10/2001, Patent No. 6399307 issued 06/04/2001, Patent No. 7033749 issued 04/25/2006

History
In 1989 CEO/CSO and founder Dr. Matt Winkler left his position as an Associate Professor of Zoology at the University of Texas and formed a molecular biology reagent company called Ambion. Winkler then formed Asuragen from Ambion's Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenomic Service Divisions following the March 2006 sale of the Research Products Division of Ambion Inc. to the Applied Biosystems Group (currently Life Technologies). In December 2007, the microRNA therapeutics activities were moved into a new entity called Mirna Therapeutics.