EKF Molecular Diagnostics to exhibit PointMan DNA-enrichment technology at Tri-Con 2014

Ultra-sensitive and highly-specific cancer mutation detection

EKF Diagnostics (www.ekfdiagnostics.com), the global in vitro diagnostics business, announces that its subsidiary company EKF Molecular Diagnostics is exhibiting its ground-breaking PointMan™ DNA-enrichment technology at Tri-Con 2014 in San Francisco, CA, Booth #417, 10-14th February.

PointMan is a real-time PCR technology that provides reliable and extremely sensitive detection of cancer-related mutations. Fully compatible with industry standard instruments and DNA extraction methods, it is highly specific and efficient in amplifying the target sequence, while simultaneously suppressing amplification of the wild-type.  The resulting sample is effectively enriched for the mutation, providing industry-leading sensitivity across a wide variety of sample types, including whole blood.

Image credit: EKF Diagnostics

PointMan’s landmark ability to enrich low-level DNA mutations from whole blood is the focus of an ongoing collaboration between EKF Molecular Diagnostics and the Institute of Life Sciences at Swansea University. Recent preliminary results from a study of samples archived in the Wales Cancer Bank, have demonstrated that PointMan technology could enable non-invasive blood based testing and reduce the need for tumor biopsies for cancer patient mutation status assessment.

Personnel from EKF Molecular Diagnostics will be on hand at Tri-Con 2014 to demonstrate and discuss the effectiveness of EKF Molecular's portfolio of PointMan DNA enrichment kits that detect mutations for cancer biomarkers including: BRAF, KRAS, EGFR, NRAS and JAK2. These genes are associated with skin melanoma, colorectal and lung cancers, as well as myeloma.

The 21st International Molecular Medicine Tri-Conference will focus on Drug Discovery, Genomics, Diagnostics and Information Technology.  “Tri-Con 2014 provides an ideal platform to feature our growing range of products and technologies developed to meet an increasing demand for superior sensitivity and specificity in molecular diagnostics,” said Andrew Webb, CEO, EKF Molecular Diagnostics.