Kits by Izon Science Standardize Extracellular Vesicle Concentration and EV-RNA Extraction

Izon Science Ltd, the manufacturer of nano-biological separation and characterization tools, announced today the release of two new kits: the qEV Concentration Kit for the isolation and concentration of extracellular vesicles (EVs), and the qEV RNA Extraction Kit, which enables the extraction of RNA from EVs. Together, they provide researchers with simple, standardizable solutions for advancing the field of EV research.

EVs represent a world of untapped biomedical opportunities, largely because EV-RNA is expected to become widely utilized as a new class of biomarkers for diagnostics and therapy-monitoring. Ultimately, however, the successful development of such downstream applications can only be possible when supported by scalable, standardized technologies that deliver highly purified EV and EV-RNA samples.

Christchurch-based company Izon Science has seen the need for EV purification technology and high-yield EV-RNA extraction. “There are huge ambitions around the diagnostic potential of EVs and EV-derived RNA. However, there has been a gap in the tools available for EV concentration and EV-RNA extraction, and in particular there is a high need for standardizable and scalable workflows”, says Hans van der Voorn, CEO of Izon Science. “We wanted to provide researchers with a way to concentrate their starting material, regardless of the downstream application, and cater specifically to those wanting to extract EV-RNA using a repeatable and effective process.”

The kits not only provide an all-in-one system for concentrating EV samples and extracting EV-RNA for downstream analysis; they can also be used separately to support methods outside of RNA analysis. The final product of the qEV concentration kit is a pellet, which can be resuspended in a volume of the user’s choice. Both the qEV Concentration Kit and qEV RNA Extraction Kit are compatible with RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR and microarrays, as neither of the kits require the use of interfering protease treatments or harmful precipitation agents such as phenol or chloroform.

Concentration kits reduce EV-containing samples to a pellet for convenient downstream analysis

The qEV Concentration Kit enables the enrichment of intact EVs that have been isolated using Izon’s qEV columns, which cover different isolation ranges (qEV 35 nm series for 35-350 nm particles, or the qEV 70 nm series for 70-1000 nm particles). EV concentration can be achieved for purified collection volumes ranging from 600 µL to 20 mL and is attained using specialized technology for target analyte separation. Specifically, the qEV concentration Kit harnesses Ceres Nanosciences Nanotrap® Extracellular Vesicle Particles – hydrogel microspheres consisting of cross-linked copolymers that are functionalised with a variety of chemical affinity baits.1 By incorporating the Nanotrap® EV Particles into the qEV Concentration Kit workflow, the purified collection volume can be reduced to a pellet for downstream use. 

RNA extraction kits offer a straightforward and standardized path for EV-RNA extraction

The RNA extraction kits are manufactured for Izon by Norgen Biotek, a well-established developer of unique platform technologies for the efficient purification of RNA and other macromolecules. Norgen Biotek’s proprietary resin/matrix was incorporated into the qEV RNA extraction kit to provide a simple filtration system, and importantly, a straightforward and standardizable method for EV-RNA extraction.



The procedure for EV-RNA extraction takes 15 to 20 minutes and can be used to extract EV-RNA from cell culture systems and routine biofluids like saliva, plasma, urine, milk, cerebrospinal fluid, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Extracts can be eluted in volumes of 50 to 100 µL, providing a convenient, high-yield volume of EV-RNA, including miRNA. With small EV-RNA and EV-miRNAs showing promise as diagnostic markers, the efficient extraction of small RNA and miRNA is a particularly important consideration for EV researchers.

Together, the qEV Concentration Kit and qEV RNA Extraction Kit enable EVs to be concentrated with ease and provide a repeatable protocol for EV-RNA studies. Both kits are complemented by the standardization incorporated in Izon’s Automatic Fraction Collector (AFC) which enables fast, precise and automated isolation of EVs. The qEV Concentration Kit and qEV RNA Extraction Kit are now available for purchase worldwide.

References: Lin S-C, Carey BD, Callahan V, et al. Use of Nanotrap particles for the capture and enrichment of Zika, chikungunya and dengue viruses in urine. Roques P, ed. PLOS ONE. 2020;15(1):e0227058. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227058