IntegenX has received a new contract from the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) of the US Department of Defense (DoD) for the development of an Integrated Sample-to-Sequence (ISS) system for rapid detection and identification of genetically engineered bacteria and viruses, medically relevant bacteria and viruses, and emerging pathogens.
IntegenX is expected to make use of its Universal Sample Preparation Module (USPM), created under a previous Department of Defense contract, to purify DNA from pathogen targets contained in complex matrices and present the purified material to an IntegenX library construction module, followed by an amplification module and a sequencing (NGS) module.
As per the contract, IntegenX is expected to be the prime contractor for a first phase of $2.8m and a possible 22-month, $14.8m contract.
IntegenX is expected to apply its patented MOVe technology to integrate the complete workflow of the ISS system, which will be operated with minimal user interaction by a non-specialist.
IntegenX R&D executive vice president Ezra van Gelder said that IntegenX technology integrates the processes to incorporate the complex steps into a complete sample-to-sequence workflow.