A Diagnostics & Imaging Week

Correlagen Diagnostics (Cambridge, Massachusetts), a molecular diagnostics clinical reference laboratory, and Protedyne (Windsor, Connecticut), a laboratory automation provider, reported the creation of Correlagen GeneXchange.

GeneXchange combines Correlagen genetic sequence test methods and software with Protedyne's Radius robotic system. The companies said that GeneXchange will enable academic medical centers to bring genetic sequencing for patient care into their diagnostic laboratories.

Correlagen GeneXchange will distribute the GeneXchange services to academic medical centers. Those services will include assay development, software to support ordering gene test reagents and supplies, the Radius robotics platform and a data analytics service.

Correlagen and Protedyne said they will maintain their independent focuses on their core businesses and operate independently.

"Correlagen has had remarkable success automating complex testing protocols on their Protedyne BioCube System," said Fran Tuttle, president and CEO of Protedyne. "By combining the expertise of the two companies, we will be able to provide healthcare organizations with an advanced product to quickly and cost-effectively manage genetic testing."

Dr. David Margulies, president and CEO of Correlagen, said, "The combination of Correlagen's application software and sequencing protocols – together, our 'Bioware' – and Protedyne's remarkable instrument create a unique capability for the sophisticated medical center. . . . We expect the first system to be in production by the third quarter of 2006."

Correlagen develops genetic testing services using a high-throughput automation that incorporates sequencing, variant analysis and results reporting. Its Genes That Matter program focuses on accelerating the use of genetic testing in clinical practice.

Protedyne is focused on integrating its industrial design for automation philosophy with genome-based drug research via robotic solutions.