IMDx announced that it has entered into a multi-year development and license agreement with QIAGEN to design, develop and manufacture several undisclosed CE-marked and FDA cleared diagnostic tests for use on QIAGEN's QIAsymphony RGQ automated platform. The assays being developed by IMDx are planned to be incorporated into QIAGEN's growing menu of molecular diagnostic assays and will be distributed by QIAGEN worldwide. QIAGEN has also retained the rights to assume manufacturing of the assays pursuant to volume considerations.

IMDx's innovative assay development process relies on the use of a proprietary bioinformatics platform, which allows for efficient design of robust and accurate diagnostics that can be formatted for a variety of real-time PCR platforms. QIAsymphony is a novel and flexible laboratory workflow automation system for molecular testing that incorporates all workflow steps from biological sample to result. This new and complete workflow solution is comprised of modules that can be used either as stand-alone systems or combined into the fully integrated QIAsymphony RGQ system. Through this system, QIAGEN provides laboratories with a platform that maximizes their efficiency in the emerging field of molecular diagnostics.

QIAGEN is developing a broad range of tests for use on this system. The menu includes infectious disease assays, genetics assays and in particular, companion diagnostics that are used to guide the use of medicines in treating patients. QIAGEN markets a menu of more than 20 assays for use on the QIAsymphony system in Europe.

This collaboration will help to accelerate the expansion of test menu for the QIAsymphony RGQ.