Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting KRAS mutations at one or more of codons, said method comprising the steps of: (a) extracting DNA from a biological sample; (b) assaying the DNA via PCR for KRAS mutations at one or more of codons with at least one set of oligonucleotides, wherein the at least one set of oligonucleotides comprises an allele specific forward primer, a reverse primer, a probe and a xenonucleic acid clamp to block amplification of wild type DNA. The xenonucleic acid clamps have aza-aza, thio-aza and oxy-aza chemical functionality.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for detecting KRAS mutations at one or more of codons, said method comprising the steps of: (a) extracting DNA from a biological sample; (b) assaying the DNA via PCR for KRAS mutations at one or more of codons with at least one set of oligonucleotides, wherein the at least one set of oligonucleotides comprises an allele specific forward primer, a reverse primer, a probe and a xenonucleic acid clamp to block amplification of wild type DNA. The xenonucleic acid clamps have aza-aza, thio-aza and oxy-aza chemical functionality.

Abstract: The invention provides a multiplex method for enriching a plurality of target polynucleotide sequences containing genetic mutations associated with lung cancer comprising: (a) providing a biological sample; (b) isolating DNA from said sample; said DNA including said plurality of target polynucleotide sequences containing genetic mutations; (c) providing a plurality of primer probes targeted to said target polynucleotide sequences said primer probes allowing formation of a PCR product; (d) providing a plurality of target specific xenonucleic acid clamps oligomer probes specific for wildtype polynucleotide sequences; so that during the qPCR process only mutant templates are amplified: (e) admixing the plurality of primer probes and the plurality of xenonucleic clamping probes with the target nucleic acid sample; (f) performing a PCR amplification process in reaction solution under hybridization conditions thereby generating multiple amplicons; and (g) detecting said amplicons and wherein said xenonucleic acid c

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enriching a target polynucleotide sequence containing a genetic variation said method comprising: (a) providing two primers targeted to said target polynucleotide sequence; (b) providing a target specific xenonucleic acid clamp oligomer specific for a wildtype polynucleotide sequence; (c) generating multiple amplicons using PCR under specific temperature cycling conditions; and (d) detecting said amplicons. We introduce a novel molecule, Xenonucleic Acid (XNA) for the NGS library preparation. XNA is able to selectively suppress amplification of DNA with wild type alleles and amplify DNA containing mutant alleles. Mutants with low allelic frequency will be easily detectable without deep sequencing after enrichment by adding XNA in multiplex PCR. The 17 actionable mutants related to lung or colorectal cancer diseases at different variant allelic frequency (VAF) % were investigated. Clinical sensitivity is significantly improved with XNA in various types of samples.

Abstract: The present invention provides synthetic nucleic acid sequences comprising 10-30 nucleotides of the N1 and N2 gene regions and/or the 3? non-coding region of the SARS-associated coronavirus Cov-2 (SARS-CoV-2) genome, and a synthetic nucleic acid sequence comprising 10-30 nucleotides of a nucleic acid sequence that is complementary to at least one of those regions. Also provided are compositions comprising the sequences, and uses of the sequences in diagnostic kits. The present invention further provides a primer and probe set for determining the presence or absence of SARS-associated coronavirus Cov-2 in a biological sample, wherein the primer set comprises at least one of the synthetic nucleic acid sequences. Also provided are a composition comprising the primer and probe set, and use of the primer and probe set in a diagnostic kit. Finally, the present invention provides kits and methods for determining the presence or absence of SARS-associated coronavirus Cov-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in a biological sample.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for enriching a target polynucleotide sequence containing a genetic variation said method comprising: (a) providing two primers targeted to said target polynucleotide sequence; (b) providing a target specific xenonucleic acid clamp oligomer specific for a wildtype polynucleotide sequence; (c) generating multiple amplicons using PCR under specific temperature cycling conditions; and (d) detecting said amplicons. We introduce a novel molecule, Xenonucleic Acid (XNA) for the NGS library preparation. XNA is able to selectively suppress amplification of DNA with wild type alleles and amplify DNA containing mutant alleles. Mutants with low allelic frequency will be easily detectable without deep sequencing after enrichment by adding XNA in multiplex PCR. The 17 actionable mutants related to lung or colorectal cancer diseases at different variant allelic frequency (VAF)% were investigated. Clinical sensitivity is significantly improved with XNA in various types of samples.