Medical Solutions becomes first UK commercial service provider of
Illumina next generation DNA sequencing and genotyping applications
The Board of Medical Solutions plc (LSE: MLS), a UK-based provider of
expert, quality DNA sequencing and genotyping services to the healthcare,
pharma biotech and life sciences research sectors, is pleased to announce
that it is implementing a new technology platform at its Nottingham
laboratory that will help to broaden the Company’s offering and increase
efficiencies.
Medical Solutions will become the UK’s first commercial service provider for
these leading edge systems, which it will be sourcing from Illumina, Inc.
HIGHLIGHTS
• Medical Solutions to offer both Illumina’s Genome Analyzer, a next
generation DNA sequencing system and Infinium whole genome genotyping on the
BeadStation platform;
• First commercial service provider of Illumina applications in the UK;
• Complete pipeline of histopathology to genomic services, including DNA
extraction, biobanking, whole genome amplification and DNA sequencing in GLP,
GCP and CPA accredited laboratories
Adoption of Illumina’s DNA sequencing and genotyping platforms will
complement Medical Solutions’ extensive portfolio of diagnostic and contract
research services ranging from cell and tissue to genomic analysis. This
further demonstrates the Company’s commitment to be a market leader in the
UK for the provision of expert, quality laboratory services to the
healthcare, pharma biotech and life science research sectors.
Dr Tom Weaver, Commercial Director for Medical Solutions said, "We selected
the Illumina platforms because the data quality, reproducibility,
flexibility and breadth of applications are, in our opinion, the best in the
industry. This represents cutting edge technology capable of revealing an
enormous volume of genetic information. Customers have already expressed
significant interest in applications run on the Genome Analyzer and
BeadStation platforms, and it is our intention to develop strategic
partnerships with these early adopters, enabling them to take full advantage
of the power of whole genome analysis by providing high-quality data in an
accredited quality laboratory environment. "
Dr. Weaver added, “Illumina DNA sequencing and genotyping platforms are also
capable of delivering analyses in the expanding field of personalised
genomic services.”
“The addition of Illumina’s Genome Analyzer and BeadStation platforms
demonstrates the level of commitment Medical Solutions has to its customers
and to providing them with leading-edge technologies that enable whole
genome analysis” said Karen Possemato, Director of Corporate Marketing at
Illumina. “Their added interest in becoming an Illumina CSPro further
supports the value Medical Solutions sees in Illumina’s products and how
this program can be a key factor in their success.”
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Notes to Editors:
About Medical Solutions
Medical Solutions is a leading provider of expert, quality services and
products to the healthcare, pharma biotech and life science research
sectors. Its Healthcare operations provide screening products and reference
laboratory diagnostic testing services for cancer and other diseases and
additional predictive testing for treatment optimisation for clinicians and
patients. Pharma Biotech Services offers support for early stage therapeutic
development, offering a “one-stop shop” from tissue pathology,
immunohistochemistry, sophisticated image analysis, biomarker determination
and assay development to pharmacogenomics including genotyping and gene
expression analysis. The Life Science Research services provide core
laboratory research support from conceptualization to implementation,
calling upon a wide ranging of cutting-edge technology platforms including
and an online catalogue of biomolecular tools. This incorporates DNA
sequencing, whole genome amplification and a comprehensive library of
genomic reagents and clones including cDNA and RNAi.
The group has its headquarters in Nottingham, UK where it operates state of
the art reference laboratory facilities, with additional UK laboratory
facilities in Cambridge and Oxford. Medical Solutions is CPA, GLP and GCP
accredited and is licensed by the Human Tissue Authority.
About Illumina
Illumina ( www.illumina.com ) is a
leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of next-generation
life-science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic
variation and biological function. Using our proprietary technologies, we
provide a comprehensive line of products and services that currently serve
the sequencing, genotyping, and gene expression markets, and we expect to
enter the market for molecular diagnostics. Our customers include leading
genomic research centers, pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions,
clinical research organizations, and biotechnology companies. Our tools
provide researchers around the world with the performance, throughput, cost
effectiveness, and flexibility necessary to perform the billions of genetic
tests needed to extract valuable medical information from advances in
genomics and proteomics. We believe this information will enable researchers
to correlate genetic variation and biological function, which will enhance
drug discovery and clinical research, allow diseases to be detected earlier,
and permit better choices of drugs for individual patients.
For further information, please contact:
Medical Solutions plc
Nick Ash
Managing Director
Tel: 0115 973 9010
www.medical-solutions.co.uk
Bishopsgate Communications Ltd
Nick Rome/Gemma O’Hara
Tel: 0207 562 3350
www.bishopsgatecommunications.com
