OGT launches Cytocell FISH probes for glial tumours

Oxford Gene Technology (OGT), The Molecular Genetics Company, has launched its CE-IVD labelled Cytocell Aquarius® 1p36/1q25 and 19q13/19p13 Deletion Probe Kit*, a cost-effective fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) kit for the reliable investigation of glial tumours.

Co-deletion of the 1p36.32 and 19q13.33 regions are frequently reported in many classes of gliomas.1,2 Moreover, the presence of a 1p and 19q co-deletion is a strong prognostic factor, which is often associated with improved outcome and responsiveness to therapy in stage II and stage III gliomas.3 Presenting the gold standard of co-deletion detection, FISH is also central in the move towards replacing morphological grading with molecular analysis — providing the molecular insights to overcome the variable relationship between histological type and clinical outcome.

Created specifically for the investigation of co-deletion status in glial tumour specimens, the new CE-IVD labelled Cytocell Aquarius 1p36/1q25 and 19q13/19p13 Deletion Probe Kit consistently delivers bright, specific signals with minimal background. By enabling clear and accurate scoring, the need for repeat testing is minimised, saving both time and resources. Ease of use has also been prioritised, with the convenience of ready-to-use pre-mixed probes saving aliquoting time, while also minimising potential errors. The cost-effective, quality-assured kit brings confidence to glioma investigations, with optimisation for FFPE samples enhanced when used alongside the Cytocell Tissue Pretreatment Kit.  

The Head of Cancer Cytogenetics at the Northern Genetics Service in Newcastle, Gavin Cuthbert FRCPath, who is currently in the process of completely transitioning to Cytocell probes, commented: “Accurately detecting co-deletion status is vital to our glioma investigations, and we have been consistently impressed with the quality and reproducibility of results using the new Cytocell kit — not to mention the support offered by OGT’s customer service. We now have a cost-effective test we can rely on, that is also easy to use and interpret.”

Senior Product Manager for Pathology at OGT, Steve Chatters explained: “More laboratories are realising the importance of FISH-based co-deletion analysis for glioma investigations, and our new kit is set to further drive this trend. This builds upon OGT’s existing cancer FISH portfolio, providing confident diagnoses to aid in the fight against cancer.”