Biocatalyst Grant Supports Research into RNA Extraction Method

Nucleic acid sample preparation solution provider, Arcis Biotechnology has been awarded £160,000 under Innovate UK’s Biocatalyst programme, to assess the technical feasibility of extracting and stabilising RNA direct from urine for use in biomarker-based clinical diagnostic assays.

The company is to explore the use of a procedure it had already developed to simplify RNA extraction and stabilise the RNA pool for up to 26 days. The process could then be applied to develop a kit for home sample collection and transfer to a clinical laboratory, to test for prostate and bladder cancers, amongst other conditions.

RNA sequences expressing altered proteins are potentially useful as diagnostic markers, and may be quantified using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qrtPCR).  However, primarily due to the difficulties associated with storage and degradation, the use of RNA quantification for disease diagnosis for some cancers, particularly prostate cancer, has previously been limited due to the necessity for the patient to be in close proximity to the equipment.

Dr Jan Rogers, CSO, Arcis Biotechnology, commented: “The ability to validate and use RNA biomarkers for clinical diagnostics is potentially game-changing, and being able to extract and store RNA from urine samples would offer clinicians a simple, minimally invasive diagnostic procedure. We are delighted that Innovate UK has identified the potential opportunity provided by our RNA extraction and stabilisation technology.”