TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces HaloPlex Next-Generation Sequencing Panels Targeting Can

TRADE NEWS: Agilent Technologies Introduces HaloPlex Next-Generation Sequencing Panels Targeting Cancer and Inherited Diseases for Research

Catalog and Custom Panels Enable Rapid, Targeted Genomics Analysis

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) today introduced a new series of HaloPlex next-generation sequencing panels targeting specific disease states. Two catalog products, the HaloPlex Cancer Research Panel and the HaloPlex Cardiomyopathy Research Panel, plus five predesigned research panels for arrhythmia, ICCG genomic regions, X chromosome, Noonan syndrome, and connective tissue disorders are now available. Used in combination with Agilent's SureDesign and SureCall software, the new panels enable laboratories to perform integrated data analysis, mapping and reporting with greater confidence, speed and flexibility.

"With the adoption of desktop sequencing, clinical research laboratories are increasingly interested in panels with predesigned content for routine analysis," said Dr. Berivan Baskin, FACMG, FCCMG, clinical molecular geneticist at Uppsala University Hospital, who worked with Agilent to develop the panels. "These new HaloPlex panels, combined with Agilent's analysis software, provide comprehensive content with high levels of sensitivity and specificity."

"Clinical research laboratories commonly lack the time and resources necessary to individually define disease-related genes and incorporate them into their own custom sequencing panels," said Jacob Thaysen, vice president and general manager of Agilent's Genomics Solutions Division. "So we have been working closely with industry experts to develop these targeted disease panels to help these laboratories dramatically improve their workflows and research outcomes."

HaloPlex target-enrichment solutions combine the speed and specificity of polymerase chain reaction-based systems with the scalability and capture-size flexibility of solution-based hybridization formats, eliminating the need for library preparation. This streamlined sequence-selective solution for next-generation sequencing helps to remove bottlenecks associated with targeted resequencing and eliminates the need for expensive, dedicated instrumentation or laborious protocols.

SureDesign and SureCall software programs are an integral part of Agilent's complete solutions for next-generation sequencing target enrichment. SureDesign increases flexibility by allowing HaloPlex panel users to develop custom panels and incorporate additional predesigned genes/regions of interest to suit their laboratory's individual needs. SureCall significantly reduces the data analysis hurdles faced by researchers, enabling simple and intuitive variant calling.

About Agilent in Genomics

Agilent Technologies Inc. is a global leader in target enrichment for next-generation sequencing and genomic microarrays. The Agilent SureSelect and HaloPlex target-enrichment systems enable researchers to easily choose which segments of a genome to sequence, avoiding the time and expense needed to sequence the entire genome. HaloPlex and its same-day sample-to-sequencer workflow is well suited for next-gen desktop sequencers, whereas SureSelect's ability to accurately capture whole exomes and whole methylomes in a single reaction pairs well with high-throughput next-gen sequencing systems. These are just two products arising from Agilent's expertise in synthesizing custom complex mixtures of long oligonucleotides gained in microarray manufacturing. Additional product lines built on this core technology include microarrays for genome-wide measurement of gene expression and for comparative genomics hybridization, as well as SureFISH, a highly specific and sensitive product line for oligonucleotide flourescent in situ hybridization. In addition to oligonucleotide-based products, Agilent offers a microfluidic bioanlyzer to measure sample quality, a target-enrichment tool to speed next-gen sequencing, and a full set of reagents, hardware, methods and bioinformatics software for genomic experiments.

About Agilent Technologies

Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYS: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company's 20,500 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.9 billion in fiscal 2012. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Further technology, corporate citizenship and executive news is available at www.agilent.com/go/news.

Agilent Technologies Inc.
Susan Berg, +1 408-553-7093
susan_berg1@agilent.com

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