On June 29, 2021 QIAGEN N.V. (NYSE: QGEN; Frankfurt Prime Standard: QIA) reported a commercialization partnership with San Diego-based human identification specialist Verogen that will provide customers of both companies with superior tools and comprehensive support for human identification (HID) workflows in their laboratories (Press release, Qiagen, JUN 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234586594]).

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The deal enables QIAGEN to offer Verogen’s preeminent HID sequencing and analysis solutions that run on MiSeq FGx sequencers from Illumina, decisively expanding QIAGEN’s forensics leadership that already covers sample collection and preparation, genetic testing analysis and workflow automation. The agreement grants QIAGEN the rights to distribute the Verogen portfolio globally – including kits based on the proprietary Verogen ForenSeq assay, the Verogen MiSeq FGx Sequencing System and the Universal Analysis Software – and covers an expansion of the partnership through future ForenSeq-based assays.

Verogen and QIAGEN will also cooperate to commercialize a menu of forensically validated workflows for next-generation sequencing (NGS) that combine Verogen’s library-prep products with QIAGEN’s QIAseq products, automation solutions and expertise. QIAGEN will market Verogen products globally alongside its portfolio of forensics instruments, kits and services. Financial details of the deal are not being disclosed.

"This combination brings together Verogen’s innovative NGS workflows with QIAGEN’s leading portfolio of Sample to Insight solutions, creating the most comprehensive product offering for forensics applications," said Thierry Bernard, Chief Executive Officer at QIAGEN. "The partnership will drive the adoption of NGS in human identification as it will enable our customers to gain even better insights from their casework samples. This will ultimately strengthen justice systems all over the world."

"Our mission is to empower the human identification community with innovative tools that can deliver an identification, not just a DNA profile," said Brett Williams, Chief Executive Officer at Verogen. "This partnership with QIAGEN will make it easier for laboratories to provide more impactful answers. By combining Verogen’s industry-leading NGS-based product portfolio with QIAGEN’s gold-standard extraction, assay and automation solutions, we will accelerate adoption and use of NGS in forensics."

NGS is used in many biotechnological fields, from cancer research to rare-disease testing. In forensics, it opens completely new opportunities for criminal casework, missing persons and disaster-victim identification. While traditional STR-profiling requires a suspect or a database hit to compare with a crime sample, NGS provides additional intelligence options such as estimation of externally visible characteristics like hair or eye color, thereby elevating DNA testing from a passive forensic support to a proactive investigational technique.

Experts expect the market for NGS in forensics to grow at a double-digit rate annually because of its promising applications.

This collaboration of market leaders addresses important hurdles in areas like workflow integration, automation and vendor support that have slowed adoption of NGS in forensics. The partnership bolsters the workflow solutions offered by QIAGEN and Verogen by offering forensic customers a new level of end-to-end support across the globe, from sample collection to data interpretation and analysis.

QIAGEN is a world leader in HID and forensic testing. It offers a full range of forensic-grade chemistries and high-quality instruments, such as the new EZ2 Connect Fx that address the challenges of crime scene investigation and more. Covering every step from sample to insight, QIAGEN has shaped the development of forensic standards, supporting criminal justice and missing persons identification. QIAGEN’s top-quality forensics products and services are helping customers unlock vital molecular insights to make improvements in life possible.