Akonni Biosystems Announces New Family of TruTip® Extraction Products for Hamilton Microlab® STAR Line of Liquid Handling Workstations

Industry first “smart-tip” approach for generating high quality human gDNA simultaneously extracts 96 samples in 57 minutes

FREDERICK, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Akonni Biosystems today announced the availability of a new family of “smart tip” extraction products for rapidly purifying human genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (gDNA) on the Hamilton Microlab^® STAR line of robotic liquid handling workstations. Starting from fresh or frozen blood, buffy coat, and soon tissue or cells, these new TruTip kits extract superior quality gDNA simultaneously from eight to 96 samples in just 57 minutes. The system does not require a magnetic head, vacuum manifold, centrifuge, or other space-consuming or expensive capital equipment. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibition due to bead carryover is also eliminated since there are no magnetic beads required, as are errors due to clogging typically caused by vacuum manifolds.

“Akonni’s ground-breaking approach to nucleic acid extraction will be an excellent addition to the tool set Hamilton supports for automating our customers' laboratory processes”

The patented TruTip family of products uses a porous nucleic acid binding matrix embedded in a pipette tip, and extracts DNA or ribonucleic acid (RNA) using well-understood chaotropic salt chemistry. This new kit for gDNA completes the entire extraction process (including a fully automated onboard heat incubation step) in less than an hour (20 minutes for heat incubation and 37 minutes for extraction) and is over 250 percent faster than most traditional high-throughput approaches. TruTip also delivers “gold-standard-equivalent” yields and equal or superior purity and reproducibility, by comparison.

“TruTip is an industry-first smart consumable for sample preparation created specifically to reduce bottlenecks in high-throughput genetic testing. Designed for systems that cost a hundred thousand dollars less than its competitors', it promotes a higher level of productivity for laboratories performing medium to large numbers of DNA extractions per day,” states Kevin Banks, Ph.D., Vice President Strategic Development at Akonni Biosystems. Banks adds, “We are excited to extend TruTip support to liquid handing workstations manufactured by Hamilton Robotics, as these systems are universally recognized as being the most reliable and highest performing in the industry.”

“Akonni’s ground-breaking approach to nucleic acid extraction will be an excellent addition to the tool set Hamilton supports for automating our customers' laboratory processes,” commented Jose Carle, Ph.D., Vice President of Robotics at Hamilton. “The extra deck space our customers will save by using TruTip will enable them to more easily integrate multiple processes in a much simplified, end-to-end approach.”

TruTip gDNA Kits for use on the STAR line of workstations are now available for early-access customers. TruTip applications for extraction of gDNA from saliva collected using the Oragene^® DISCOVER and Oragene^® Dx Collection Kit from DNA Genotek, Inc., a subsidiary of OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: OSUR), will be available soon, as well as for swab and Scope^® mouthwash input sample types. TruTip gDNA Kits can be used with a variety of back-end analytical tools, including qPCR, real time PCR, digital PCR, microarrays, and mid-multiplex bead-based systems, as well as traditional and next-generation sequencing systems.

About Akonni Biosystems

Akonni is a developer of highly innovative products and technologies designed to significantly increase productivity in the life science tools market (“Sample Prep Market”) and to dramatically lower the cost of testing in the molecular diagnostics market (“MDx Market”). Akonni Biosystems was founded in 2003 and has over 48 patents issued or pending. Supported by a series of government grants and contracts from NIH, CDC, DOE, DOD, NIJ, and NSF, the company has significantly advanced the original technology by improving its capabilities from sample preparation to final result. Commercial products and those in its near-term pipeline include rapid sample preparation methodologies for nucleic acid extraction and mid-multiplex panel assays for detecting multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), upper respiratory infections, viral encephalitis, and healthcare-associated infections (MRSA). For more information, visit www.akonni.com.

About Hamilton Robotics

Hamilton is a leading worldwide supplier of precision liquid handling equipment, laboratory automation and storage systems, serving customers in academic and private research laboratories, pharmaceutical and clinical diagnostic companies and governmental institutions. Hamilton maintains headquarters in Reno, Nevada and Bonaduz, Switzerland, both of which house R&D and production facilities. Hamilton has subsidiaries for direct sales and service in many countries and works with a wide distributor network in other regions. Hamilton is a privately held company. For more information, visit www.hamiltonrobotics.com.