Under the terms of the agreement, Agilent will obtain from Roche a non-exclusive license to use, develop and sell products based on melting curve analysis.
The melting curve analysis is a technique for analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products. After PCR, the resulting PCR product is slowly heated. Each double-stranded DNA has its own specific melting temperature, which is defined as the temperature at which 50% of the DNA becomes single stranded. By measurement of the melting temperature, the DNA can be easily identified.
Manfred Baier, head of Roche Applied Science, a business area of Roche, said: “The licensing of the melting curve analysis technique to Agilent is one more contribution of Roche to further boost development of this technology in the life science field.”