Towards commercialization of cavitation-enhancing nanodroplets for DNA sample fragmentation in NGS applications

PROJECT SUMMARYMore thanlaboratories globally are working on biological sample processingwith a rapidly growing focus on next generation sequencingNGStechnologiesThe milestone of the $human genome sequence has established NGS as the gold standard technology for personalized precision medicine and diagnosticsGenetic testing kids are now as readily available as pregnancy test kidsand advances in genetic analysisgene therapyand genetic modification promise in thest century to parallel the development of transistors and integrated circuits in theth centuryThe challenge is that technology for preparing biological samples for sequencing has not maintained a similar rapid advancement to gene sequencingFragmentation of DNA randomly without bias is an essentialbut difficult step in the preparation of genomic DNA for NGS applicationsA narrow range of DNA fragment lengths is required for sequencingand inefficient or inconsistent fragmentation will result in incomplete or excluded readscorrupting the sequencingAcoustic sonicationwhich fragments DNA through cavitationis the gold standard for DNA fragmentationHoweverour customer discover interviews have reinforced that this is a significant pain point in their sample preparation process due to its low throughput and challenging consistencyparticularly for industry developing large scale sequencing effortsOur NCI IMAT funded academic co founders have invented a novel approach that overcomes throughput and consistency bottlenecks in sample preparation for next generation sequencingNGStechnologiesbased on our preliminary dataWe have invented a novel nanodroplet reagent that enhances cavitation from an acoustic sonicatorand greatly improves consistency and reduces time and acoustic power requirements for DNA fragmentationTriangle Biotechnology has licensed the patents describing the cavitation enhancing technologyWith this SBIRwe will establish feasibility of this novel reagentand perform key researchdevelopmentand proof of concept studies required prior to commercializationSuccess of this project will enable a novel commercial solution for addressing market pain pointssubstantially improving throughput and consistency of DNA fragmentation for NGS sample preparation while reducing cost RELEVANCE TO PUBLIC HEALTHTechnology for preparing biological samples for next generation sequencingNGSfaces several bottlenecks which have become significant pain pointsOur innovative reagent overcomes throughput and consistency bottlenecks in sample preparation for next generation sequencingNGStechnologiesbased on our preliminary dataWith this SBIRwe will establish feasibility of this novel reagentand perform key researchdevelopmentand proof of concept studies required prior to commercialization