PLEASANTON, Calif. — Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) has signed a definitive asset purchase agreement with Lumora for products associated with the unique, patent-protected Heat Elution1technology for nucleic acid purification of multiple sample types including challenging formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor samples. Roche plans to explore integrating this technology into its sequencing workflow solution.

Today, nucleic acid purification technology from specimens including formalin-fixed tissues can be cumbersome and inefficient. Lumora’s highly differentiated proprietary methodology will enable simple and automated nucleic acid isolation in minutes instead of hours. In addition, the technology is environmentally friendly and can be applied to process a wide variety of sample types including whole blood, fecal matter, sputum, FFPE tissue and buccal swabs.

“Lumora’s Heat Elution technology can be integrated to an automated sequencing workflow, which makes it an ideal fit for Roche’s sequencing vision of a sample-in–results-out workflow,” said Dan Zabrowski, Head of Roche Tissue Diagnostics and Roche Sequencing Unit.

“An important bottleneck in sequencing workflow is nucleic acid extraction. Heat Elution technology significantly simplifies extraction and is simple to automate. The acquisition of this technology may offer Roche a unique position in fully integrated sequencing devices,” said Laurence Tisi, CEO, Lumora.

1 For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About Lumora

Lumora is a successful provider of state-of-the-art molecular diagnostic products in the clinical, non-clinical and industrial markets. Lumora’s easy to deploy and use technology can be employed in fields as diverse as food safety testing and medical diagnostics.