NEB, Sequenom sign deal to commercialize research tools for epigenetics

New England Biolabs, Inc. (NEB) and Sequenom, Inc. (NASDAQ: SQNM) jointly announce that they have signed a licensing and co-marketing agreement to commercialize research tools for epigenetics. This agreement is the result of a research collaboration between the two companies that has culminated in the development of the EpiMark™ Methylated DNA Enrichment Kit from NEB.

The EpiMark Methylated DNA Enrichment Kit utilizes the innovative proprietary technology and intellectual property, methyl-CpG-immunoprecipitation (MCIp), acquired by Sequenom through an assignment of intellectual property rights from the University of Regensburg, Germany.  The MCIp technology is based on the work of Prof. Michael Rehli at the Department of Hematology and Oncology.  It is used to advance discovery and analysis of differentially methylated regions in biological samples, such as methylation differences between fetal and maternal chromosomes that can enable non-invasive prenatal diagnostics.

The EpiMark Methylated DNA Enrichment Kit incorporates the methyl-CpG binding domain of human MBD2, fused to the Fc tail of human IgG1.  When coupled to magnetic beads, this antibody-like protein enables purification of methylated CpG DNA with superior sensitivity, accuracy and speed. NEB has enabled and optimized large-scale, high purity manufacturing of the protein and developed a user-friendly kit for the research community.

NEB will also be Sequenom's first choice supplier if the technology should be utilized for prenatal diagnostic purposes in the future. Sequenom has retained all rights for diagnostic uses.

"Collaborations have always played an essential role in the development of innovative research tools at New England Biolabs," states Dr. Salvatore Russello, Associate Director of Business Development at NEB. "This collaboration has been of great value to NEB and has facilitated the development of a novel tool to drive the discovery of epigenetic markers, an exciting new area of basic and applied research."

Dr. Karsten Schmidt, VP of Business Development at Sequenom commented, "We are pleased that through a productive collaborative effort with NEB, we are able to make available to the research community a research reagent that should have broad applicability in the detection and analysis of differential DNA methylation."

The EpiMark Methylated DNA Enrichment Kit is part of a suite of EpiMark validated products for epigenetics, which was launched by New England Biolabs at the AACR 2011 Annual Meeting (Orlando, FL; April 2–6, 2011).