NATICK MASSACHUSETTS, Dec. 11, 2017 /PRNEWSWIRE/ – Pillar Biosciences, Inc. a manufacturer of precision next-generation sequencing (NGS) panels and software solutions for robust and cost-effective clinical sequencing, announces that key patents covering its SLIMamp™ technology have been issued in its most important markets China and the United States. The State Intellectual Property Office (SIPO) of the People’s Republic of China issued patent ZL201680001111.1 with a duration of 20 years. Building on a prior March 2017 approval by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) (U.S. Patent No. 9,605,305, “Method for reducing primer-dimer amplification”), this technology is central to Pillar Biosciences’ vision of enabling affordable precision medicine by simplifying the sample processing workflow while simultaneously improving assay reliability and lowering costs.

“This patent issuance in China is a significant milestone for Pillar Biosciences,” said Gang Song, Ph.D., CEO of Pillar Biosciences. “We are pleased that the SIPO recognizes this fundamental innovation to streamline and accelerate the pace of adoption of precision medicine in mainland China by offering intellectual property protection to this substantial and fast-growing market”, Dr. Song added.

Pillar Biosciences’ SLIMamp technology reduces the time and effort of targeted sequencing enrichment down to a single-day, single-well per sample workflow with minimal sample input (as little as 2.5 nanograms of nucleic acid, or the equivalent of 700 cells). Limited amounts of input material are often challenging for clinical oncology laboratories, and alternative approaches may often take several days to perform.

“With the key US and China patents being issued and a current product portfolio of research use only targeted enrichment kits that include the ONCO/Reveal BRCA1 & BRCA2 Panel, a Lung and Colon Cancer Hotspot Panel, and a multi-cancer Solid Tumor Hotspot Panel, we expect to launch several exciting products in 2018 including one for liquid biopsy” said Manfred Scholz, Ph.D., Head of Corporate Development at Pillar Biosciences. “We are an innovative, technology-driven company that works with clinical, commercial, and technology partners on enabling affordable precision medicine in major global markets.”