Yudu - Nanotimes March 2011

11-02/03 :: February / March 2011

nanotimes

Companies Facts

sing Fluidigm Corporation‘s BioMark™ System and Digital Array™ integrated fluidic circuits

(IFCs), researchers from the University of Califor- nia San Francisco (UCSF) have identified serum microRNAs that can serve as biomarkers for prostate cancer. To do this, the UCSF research group desi- gned their own microRNA preAMP and PCR primers specifically to be used on the BioMark platform. Through this method, they were able to identify mRNA signatures that correlate with prognosis.

One in six men will be diagnosed with prostrate cancer during their lifetime. Recent prostate speci- fic antigen (PSA) based screening trials indicate an urgent need for novel and non-invasive biomarker identification strategies to improve the prediction of prostate cancer behaviour. Non-coding microRNAs (miRNAs) in the serum and plasma have been shown to have potential as non-invasive markers for physio- logical and pathological conditions. To identify serum miRNAs that diagnose and correlate with prognosis of prostate cancer, the researchers at UCSF deve- loped a multiplex quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) method involving purification of multiplex PCR products followed by uniplex analy- sis on a Fluidigm microfluidics chip to evaluate 384 human miRNAs. Using Dgcr8 and Dicer knockout (small RNA - deficient) mouse ES cells (mESC) as the benchmark, the researchers confirmed the validity of their technique, while uncovering a significant lack of accuracy in previously published methods. Profiling 48 sera from healthy men and untreated prostate cancer patients with differing CAPRA (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment) scores, UCSF researchers identified miRNA signatures that allowed them to diagnose cancer patients and correlate with progno- sis. These serum signatures included oncogenic and

tumor suppressive miRNAs suggesting functional roles in prostate cancer progression.

Furthermore, Fluidigm has announced that MLL Mu- nich Leukemia Laboratory has used the company‘s Access Array™ technology to help it uncover mu- tations in over 80% of chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) patients, providing new insights into the molecular heterogeneity of the disease. MLL researchers applied the unique properties of the Fluidigm Access Array System to prepare the samples and barcode the amplicons for next-generation deep-sequencing using 454 sequencing technology. http://urology.ucsf.edu/blellochlab/protocols.htm http://www.fluidigm.com http://www.mll.com

eadwaters Incorporated (NYSE: HW) has com- menced a cash tender offer (the “Tender Offer”)

for any and all of its outstanding 11-3/8% Senior Secured Notes due 2014 (CUSIP No. 42210PAN2) (the “Notes”). As of February 15, 2011, there was approximately $328.3 million aggregate principal amount of Notes outstanding.