QIAGEN (QGEN) Launches QIAcuity Kits and Software Update
QIAGEN N.V. QGEN recently announced the launch of three new kits for use on its QIAcuity systems and a major new software update. These are designed to expand the portfolio of applications for the use of digital PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) technology in areas like cell and gene therapies, DNA and RNA quantification, as well as food and pharmaceutical safety.
The recent developments will strengthen QIAGEN’s QIAcuity digital PCR platform. The highly versatile QIAcuity is one of the company’s five pillars of growth, belonging to the PCR/Nucleic acid amplification product group.
More About QIAcuity Digital PCR Kits
The new QIAcuity Mycoplasma Quant Kit offers researchers an accurate and precise way to detect mycoplasma contaminants in all steps of research and manufacturing of cell and gene therapies. The unique and sensitive workflow of the kit has been validated by a third party and also complies with the mycoplasma testing frameworks provided by the United States, the EU and the Japanese Pharmacopeia, thereby reducing validation efforts in-house.
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Another one from the pipeline, the QIAcuity OneStep Advanced EG Kit, allows researchers the highly sensitive quantification of RNA or RNA alongside DNA in one reaction. The kit uses intercalating dye technology that makes procedures easier to design and more cost-efficient than those used in fluorescent-probe-based PCR.
With the launch of QIAcuity mericon Food Testing Kits, QIAGEN extended its large food-safety testing portfolio from traditional quantitative PCR, providing increased precision and sensitivity and ensuring dependable data analysis and interpretation. Currently, these are the only ready-to-use digital PCR food tests in the market, which enable researchers to fight product adulteration through the target-specific authentication of food and animal feed ingredients.
News on Software Update
Additionally, QIAGEN plans to launch the QIAcuity Software 2.5 update in November. It is designed to help researchers determine two key features of digital PCR analyses. Using the functionality of a temperature gradient, the software will allow them to determine the precise temperature at which their experiment should run. This will save them the need to put the sample through an external thermocycler during the development of tests to target specific genetic building blocks.
Industry Prospects
Per a research report, the global digital PCR market was valued at $5.96 billion in 2022 and is expected to register a CAGR of 9.14% by 2032.
Recent Performance of PCR/Nucleic Acid Amplification Product Group
QIAGEN’s PCR/Nucleic acid amplification involves research and applied PCR solutions and components. In the third quarter of 2023, the segment’s sales were affected by a sharp drop-off in sales of OEM products used by third-party companies in their products.
However, QIAcuity digital PCR continued to deliver growth above 40% at the constant exchange rate and is tracking well toward the 2023 goal of at least $70 million of annual sales. Per management, growth is coming from a combination of increasing consumables pull-throughs along with solid trends in new placements.
Price Performance
In the past six months, shares of QIAGEN have declined 12.6% compared with the industry’s fall of 17.6%.
Zacks Rank and Key Picks
QIAGEN currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Haemonetics HAE, Insulet PODD and DexCom DXCM. While Haemonetics and DexCom each carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), Insulet presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
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Estimates for DexCom’s 2023 earnings per share have increased from $1.23 to $1.41 in the past thirty days. Shares of the company have fallen 11.8% in the past year compared with the industry’s decline of 11.9%.
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