Primerdesign is a UK-based

biotechnology Biotechnology is the integration of natural sciences and engineering sciences in order to achieve the application of organisms, cells, parts thereof and molecular analogues for products and services. The term ''biotechnology'' was first used b ...

company that designs and sells products for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR).

History

Primerdesign was founded in 2005 by Dr Jim Wicks, Dr Rob Powell and Professor Tom Brown within the

University of Southampton , mottoeng = The Heights Yield to Endeavour , type = Public research university , established = 1862 – Hartley Institution1902 – Hartley University College1913 – Southampton University Coll ...

to focus on PCR and DNA chemistry. The company has grown since then and its products have been used in over 100 countries. The company has a portfolio of over 400 qPCR detection kits and over 9000 research targets.

Swine flu detection kit

During the swine flu pandemic in 2009, Primerdesign developed the world's first swine flu detection kit. The kit, which was designed within a fortnight, was designed to give results within two hours.Powell, Rob. (31 August 2009
Test Of Skill As UK Firm Wins Swine Flu Race
News.sky.com. The first shipment of rapid result tests was dispatched to Mexico in April 2009 and is now being used in more than 30 countries.

Horse meat scandal

The company responded to the

2013 meat adulteration scandal The 2013 horse meat scandal was a food industry scandal in parts of Europe in which foods advertised as containing spicy beef were found to contain undeclared or improperly declared horse meat – as much as 100% of the meat content in some ca ...

by being able to provide

qPCR A real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR, or qPCR) is a laboratory technique of molecular biology based on the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). It monitors the amplification of a targeted DNA molecule during the PCR (i.e., in real ...

kits to quantitatively measure for horse meat in food. Their kits were used throughout Ireland as well as the UK.

Coronavirus

In January 2020 the company launched a molecular test for

SARS-CoV-2 Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‑CoV‑2) is a strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), the respiratory illness responsible for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The virus previously had a ...

. The test was approved as eligible for procurement under the World Health Organization's (WHO) Emergency Use Listing process in April 2020, meaning that the test can be supplied by the

United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...

and other procurement agencies supporting the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

response. In the same month Novacyt announced a collaboration with AstraZeneca,

GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc, is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London, England. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. GSK is the ten ...

and the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

to support the UK in its COVID-19 national screening programme at a new testing laboratory at the university's Anne McLaren laboratory.

Products

Among their product ranges are lines for: * Pathogen detection kits * House-keeping gene assays * Genomic DNA detection kits * Real-time PCR reagents * geNorm reference gene selection kits * Housekeeping gene selection kits * Biobank Control cDNA * High Resolution Melting analysis kits

Customers

Primerdesign's customers include academic institutions, pharmaceutical companies, independent diagnostic laboratories, hospitals, and official government health agencies.

Sponsorship program

In 2006, Primerdesign initiated a sponsorship program for PhD students and provide further assistance to the PCR component of their study.

References

{{Reflist

External links

Primerdesign website
Research support companies Biotechnology companies of the United Kingdom Biotechnology companies established in 2005 2005 establishments in the United Kingdom British brands