febit Receives European Patent for Gene Extraction Procedure

febit holding gmbh announced today, that the company has been granted the first European patent (EP1436609) for a microarray-based nucleic acid extraction procedure. In conjunction with the US patent US7320862, febit now holds a unique patent position in the dynamic market of sample preparation for second-generation sequencers.

The new patent refers to a technology that has already been successfully used for a novel method directed at the selection and enrichment of DNA for re-sequencing purposes. This technology substantially enhances the efficiency of high-throughput re-sequencing and renders it suitable for a broad spectrum of applications in medical and biological studies.

Targeted re-sequencing of medically relevant genomic loci enables fundamentally new approaches to research normal cellular functions and pathological changes observed in major diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer´s disease. The results of these investigations will allow the development of novel diagnostic tests and provide a greatly enhanced specificity of drug therapies. febit´s microfluidic Geniom Biochips have been used successfully for several years in analysis and synthesis of DNA.

febit holds a broad portfolio of 20 granted patents for numerous applications. The first applications for microarray-based extraction procedures were filed back in 2001. Besides bioanalytics, the portfolio predominantly covers biochip-based production of synthetic genes. In this field, febit holds key patents that were successfully used in a recent controversy with a competing U.S. company. Using a focussed application strategy, febit has been able to secure important product components, processes, and advancements.