Agilent introduces SureSelect Kinome Target Enrichment Kit to focus next-generation sequencing studies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced the SureSelect Kinome Target Enrichment Kit, enabling researchers to focus next-generation sequencing studies on expressed kinases (the kinome). Researchers increasingly are looking at human kinases as a rich, proven source of biomarkers as well as potential drug targets for cancers and other diseases.

“Agilent's collaboration with Dr. Bernards has resulted in the development of a human kinome kit that enriches for the most comprehensive set of kinase and kinase-related genes”

The new assay, developed with Dr. Rene Bernards of The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, targets genes for greater than 500 known kinases plus a number of cancer genes and untranslated regions.

"Being able to target approximately 500 kinase genes simultaneously provides us with a significant advantage to link kinase mutations with disease states with the potential to individualize therapy for each cancer patient," said Dr. Bernards. "Using the knowledge gained from our SureSelect studies, we could better stratify patient populations for specific targeted therapies. With the human kinome kit we focus our research specifically on kinases, as mutations in these genes are frequently strong biomarkers of response to targeted cancer therapies. By focusing on a limited set of genes, we can maximize our sequencing depth and reduce overall sequencing expense."

"Agilent's collaboration with Dr. Bernards has resulted in the development of a human kinome kit that enriches for the most comprehensive set of kinase and kinase-related genes," said Emily LeProust, Ph.D., Agilent director, Applications and Chemistry R&D -- Genomics. "The kit will enable scientists to efficiently map mutations across the genome, accelerate biomarker discovery and allow for better stratification of patient populations."

The SureSelect Kinome Target Enrichment Kit is based on the highly proven Agilent SureSelect platform, which streamlines experiments by sequencing only the genomic region of interest. This year alone, the SureSelect Target Enrichment System has been cited in eight papers covering research into a wide range of heritable disorders.

Agilent's SureSelect Target Enrichment System offers the broadest range of target enrichment products and the most highly optimized protocols for a diverse set of sequencing methods and platforms. There are now 16 products in the SureSelect portfolio, with many more in development. SureSelect products are available for enrichment of target sizes ranging from smaller than 200 Kb to more than 50 Mb in a single tube. Protocols now support Illumina end sequencing, paired-end sequencing and indexing protocols in addition to fragment library format, paired-end sequencing and barcoding on the SOLiD System.

Users of Agilent's eArray xD desktop design tool can improve the efficiency of their research by easily designing custom products to target any genome of interest, all in a single tube. Agilent also offers the eArray online design tool, enabling users to customize predefined SureSelect kits such as the SureSelect Human All Exon series of products. The SureSelect products also are highly automated through robotics systems from Agilent Automations Solutions.