Asuragen is a Molecular Diagnostic and Pharmacogenomic Service company headquartered in Austin, Texas focused on personalized medicine and companion diagnostics with an emphasis on early detection of cancer and mRNA/microRNA applications in oncology.[1]
| Industry | Biotechnology |
|---|---|
| Founded | March 2006 |
| Headquarters | Austin, Texas, USA |
| Key people | Matt Winkler, Rolland Carlson, Lynne Hohlfeld, Carol Berry, Ana Ward |
| Website | http://www.asuragen.com/ |
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Offerings include RNA, MicroRNA and DNA based molecular diagnostic products providing identification of genetic abnormalities associated with oncology and genetic diseases. Multiplex assay oncology tests for leukemia, including abnormalities associated with CML, BCR/ABL ALL, APL, AML, NPM1, KRAS/BRAF (which are oncogenes associated with epidermal growth factor receptor EGFR), RNA stabilization products with its Armored RNA technology and a genetic test for Fragile X Mental Retardation FMR1.[2]
RNA-related services, including analyst isolation/preparation from multiple sample types, genomic profiling, miRNA/mRNA expression profiling, biomarker discovery, assay design and validation, CLIA-based clinical testing, bioinformatic analysis, and regulatory and project management services.[3]
In 1989 CEO/CSO and founder Dr. Matt Winkler left his position as an Associate Professor of Zoology at the University of Texas and formed a molecular biology reagent company called Ambion. Winkler then formed Asuragen from Ambion's Molecular Diagnostics and Pharmacogenomic Service Divisions following the March 2006 sale of the Research Products Division of Ambion Inc. to the Applied Biosystems Group (currently Life Technologies).[4] In December 2007, the microRNA therapeutics activities were moved into a new entity called Mirna Therapeutics.[5]