Epoch Biosciences, Inc., a provider of proprietary products that accelerate genomic analysis, announced it has entered into a worldwide non-exclusive license agreement with
Applied Biosystems Group , an
Applera Corporation business, for its Eclipse(TM) Dark Quencher technology.
As part of the license and supply agreement, Epoch Biosciences will supply Applied Biosystems its Eclipse Dark Quencher for incorporation into TaqMan(R) probes for use in 5' nuclease
assays. The license covers use of the quencher technology for detection of
microorganisms in the environment. The use of the Eclipse Dark Quencher on TaqMan probes expands the utility of Epoch's quencher technology into the field of
environmental testing.
The license allows Applied Biosystems to manufacture, sell and distribute TaqMan(R) probes that carry Epoch's quencher. Under the license agreement, Epoch will receive license fees and royalties on Applied Biosystems' sales to purchasers of such licensed products.
William G. Gerber, M.D., chief executive officer of Epoch, said, "We have worked with Applied Biosystems for over four years and are pleased that they have chosen to expand this important business relationship. Applied Biosystems has extensive experience with Epoch technology and recognizes the value it brings to its TaqMan(R) products. This is the kind of value-added contribution we believe we can bring to partners and customers who place a premium on performance."
Eclipse Dark Quencher
The Eclipse Dark Quencher is a pioneering technology developed by Epoch Biosciences that when attached with a fluorescent dye to a DNA probe, suppresses the signal generated by the dye until the probe binds to its target DNA. It offers higher sensitivity in real-time
PCR probes due to lower background
fluorescence, is applicable in a broad range of detection systems, quenches of a broader dye emission spectra range, and is compatible with simple and robust DNA
synthesis procedures.
The Eclipse Dark Quencher is currently incorporated into MGB Eclipse(TM) Probe Systems distributed for Epoch by Amersham Biosciences, in other TaqMan(R) products sold by Applied Biosystems, in the Invader System sold by Third Wave Technologies, and in QuantiTect
gene expression assays sold by
Qiagen. The Eclipse Dark Quencher is also licensed to Takara for use in real-time PCR detection assays and is distributed by Glen Research for sale into the research community.