(1049-B) Fully-Automated Extraction of High-Quality Total Nucleic Acids from FFPE specimens using Covaris® truXTRAC® FFPE SMART Solutions and Hamilton Robotics

Abstract: Comprehensive Genomics Profiling (CGP) of solid tumors can assess multiple biomarkers through a single Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) assay (1, 2). Due to high heterogeneity, solid tumors preserved as formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue presents labor-intensive challenges in efficiently extracting nucleic acids required for NGS testing. Differing histologies, tissue masses, tumor nuclei and paraffin amounts can lead to overall compromised nucleic acid quality and or quantity, and limited input material for downstream NGS testing. Addressing these challenges requires solutions ensuring scalable processes for all tissue characteristics, easy sample tracking, automated workflows, and obtaining reliable data from low input samples for precise patient treatment.

Because of the low quality and quantity of DNA and RNA often retrieved from FFPE-preserved tissue, there is an existing need to improve and automate the nucleic acid extraction workflow. Covaris®, Hamilton, and OmniSeq (Labcorp) have developed a solution in the truXTRAC® FFPE tNA Auto 96 Assay Ready Workstation (ARW). This automated system merges Hamilton’s Microlab® STAR™ liquid handler with Covaris® truXTRAC® FFPE SMART technologies for FFPE processing, improving yield quality with varied throughput, batch, and automation levels.

The newly developed fully automated ARW system for the co-extraction of DNA and RNA from FFPE tissue meets the OmniSeq-established clinical CGP workflow (3-5). It highlights the ARW's potential in improving FFPE nucleic acid extraction processes, including the OmniSeq INSIGHT® assay. The findings suggest that samples extracted using the ARW and truXTRAC® FFPE SMART solution outperform the current clinically validated extraction workflow in terms of yield, purity, and downstream DNA and RNA NGS performance.

Reference
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