Seegene and DuPont Sign Agreement for Food Safety Testing

Seegene and DuPont Nutrition & Health have announced that they have inked an agreement to jointly develop highly multiplexed assays to detect foodborne pathogens.

As part of the agreement, the companies will combine Seegene's molecular testing technologies, such as its DPO (dual priming oligonucleotide) and TOCE methods, with DuPont's automated benchtop BAX System.

The companies said that they intend to develop highly multiplexed, real-time PCR assays that can rapidly detect and differentiate 10 or more organisms from a single sample in a single test.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Seegene's DPO technology generates consistently high specificity by eliminating primer competition, while its TOCE technology allows the identification of multiple targets in a single dye channel, the companies said.

"We are constantly seeking innovative collaborators to develop science-based solutions that will meet evolving needs for food safety and quality," George Tice, research and development director for DuPont Qualicon Diagnostics, said in a statement.

Tice continued, "This integration of unique Seegene technologies with robust diagnostic systems from DuPont will give the food industry increasingly powerful tools to help protect their products and their brands."

Seegene said that the initiative marks its entry into the food safety testing market.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, foodborne illness affects 48 million people each year in the US alone.