Biosearch Introduces Advanced qPCR Design Software

Biosearch Technologies, Inc. (BTI) has announced the release of qPCR assay probe and primer design modules for its web-based software engine, RealTimeDesign™.

Biosearch claims that, hosted on BTI’s website, RealTimeDesign software is available free of charge and can be used on any desktop computer having internet access.

This first module for TaqMan® assay design (TaqMan is a registered trademark of Roche Molecular Systems, Alameda, CA) refines and enhances existing TaqMan-proven assay design algorithms with the latest insights into rules governing primer-dimer formation, amplification efficiency, secondary structure and mis-hybridizations.

According to Biosearch, RealTimeDesign ensures that TaqMan assays will routinely demonstrate detection and amplification efficiencies averaging 99%.

For the novice user, RealTimeDesign’s Express Mode takes all the guess work out of assay design and fully automates all steps of the assay design process.

For more experienced users, Custom Mode allows user-defined design parameter modifications at every step of the assay design process.

In both Express and Custom Mode, assays can be designed against 1 to 10 different targets simultaneously with results archived for future review.

The software’s direct link to NCBI’s databases enables sequence retrieval using accession numbers as well as BLAST searches for SNP identification.

Once designed, RealTimeDesign assays can be confirmed via virtual PCR using the link to NCBI’s ePCR site with ePCR identifying the desired target as well as any mis-hybridizations that could lead to false amplification.