Fiscal Year:
2001
Title:
Molecular Standards for Hepatitis B and C Genotyping
Agency:
HHS
Contract:
N/A
Award Amount:
$98,542.00
Abstract:
DESCRIPTION (Applicant's Abstract): Nucleic acid testing procedures for
genotyping of viral pathogens provide results that are utilized in the
diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS. Medical
products that directly measure these genetic variants currently utilize
internal standards developed by the test manufacturers. The need exists for
third party genotyping standards that offer common units of measure and provide
testing laboratories with independent methods for ensuring accuracy,
reproducibility and consistency in their test procedures. During Phase I,
clinical specimens representing the major genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV
genotypes A - F) and hepatitis C virus (HCV genotypes 1 - 6) will be obtained
for calibration against World Health Organization International Standards for
these virus nucleic acids, and evaluated for use as potential genotype
standards using a variety of commercially available genotyping systems. During
Phase II of this project, these materials will be further developed into viral
and molecular (cloned DNA or RNA transcripts) standards for HBV and HCV
genotyping. The HBV product will be further expanded to include standards for
antiviral drug resistance mutations in this virus. All viral and molecular
standards will be made commercially available during Phase Ill.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION:
This research will lead to the development and commercialization of viral and molecular
standards for HBV and HCV genotyping, including HBV drug resistance mutations.
Such standardization, currently being implemented for viral load testing, is sorely needed
for genotype testing, will facilitate the acceptance of common units of measure for
assessing viral genotypes, and will help ensure that genotyping results obtained from
multiple laboratories using a variety of test systems throughout the world are accurate,
reproducible, consistent and high quality. Commercial manufacturers of genotype assays
have expressed a need for independent genotype standards.
Principal Investigator:
Paul D. Neuwald
Small Business Information at Submission:
ACROMETRIX CORPORATION
1440 4TH ST BERKELEY, CA 94710
EIN/Tax ID:
680431929
DUNS:
N/A
Number of Employees:
N/A
Woman-Owned:
No
Minority-Owned:
No
HUBZone-Owned:
No