PCR Controls for Standardization of Molecular Diagnostics

Vircell offers the largest and most complete product range of PCR controls in the market. These products contain the complete purified DNA or RNA of a wide variety of infectious agents and are developed to allow the amplification and testing of any region of the genome which is present in natural infections.

The controls are obtained from whole microorganisms, serving as positive controls in nucleic acid amplification reactions, as well as controls for extraction.

The use of PCR is now a reality in many laboratories in the markets of Europe, Asia, America and Middle East. However, industry response has not been so quick in all parameters and many laboratories in these areas are urged to develop their own reagents to find answers.

For most microorganisms, the specific sequence is well described in the scientific literature and there are specialized companies that produce customized synthetic primers to perform PCR reactions. To ensure the quality of these reactions, controls are usually taken from positive patient specimens, previously characterized by an additional technique. However, there are some challenges affecting the labs that use this kind of controls: limited quantity available; difficulty to obtain positive samples in esoteric parameters; non standardized results; lot-to-lot inconsistency; non-purified controls- human and other microorganisms DNA present in the controls; risks associated with infectious agents; less stability; only quantified controls can be used in quantitative PCR.

As a result of this market opportunity, Vircell offers a wide range of standardized PCR Controls. The main benefits of this product line are: