CombiMatrix advances capability of influenza array

By E. Janene Geiss

Philadelphia, May 10 - Acacia Research Corp. said Wednesday that its CombiMatrix group launched an updated version of its Influenza A array incorporating new sequences that have become available in the last 30 days.

CombiMatrix's Influenza A Typing Microarray is a component of the company's Electrochemical Influenza Surveillance System, company officials said in a news release.

This system is being evaluated under the U.S. National Early Detection System for Avian Influenza, directed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior and the Department of Health and Human Services in collaboration with state regulatory agencies, officials said.

The CombiMatrix Influenza A Typing Microarray can identify all strains of Influenza A, including bird and human varieties. CombiMatrix's system, by tracking changes in genetic makeup of the virus, can differentiate highly pathogenic from less-lethal flu strains and can identify strains that may be resistant to drug therapy, officials said. Additional work related to drug resistance is now being conducted.

This system also can detect mixed or multiple infections of influenza. This has been identified as a critical issue for identifying infectious "carriers" of the disease, officials said, such as birds that are able to infect others with the H5 virus but themselves have no symptoms.

"One of the strengths of our technology is the ability to immediately update our DNA array with the most recently discovered sequence information," Amit Kumar, president and chief executive officer of CombiMatrix, said in the release.

Acacia, based in Newport Beach, Calif., is comprised of two operating groups, Acacia Technologies group and CombiMatrix group. CombiMatrix develops platform technology to rapidly produce customizable arrays, which are semiconductor-based tools for use in identifying and determining the roles of genes, gene mutations and proteins.

© 2015 Prospect News.
All content on this website is protected by copyright law in the U.S. and elsewhere. For the use of the person downloading only.
Redistribution and copying are prohibited by law without written permission in advance from Prospect News.
Redistribution or copying includes e-mailing, printing multiple copies or any other form of reproduction.