The new capabilities overcome the assay design challenges of currently available quantitative multiplex PCR methods, making QIAcuity digital PCR ideal for applications such as translational research, microbiome analysis, pathogen detection and the development of cell and gene therapies.
Through a software upgrade and the launch of the new QIAcuity High Multiplex Probe PCR Kit, customers can now analyze up to 12 targets simultaneously compared to the earlier version offering up to five targets, using their existing instruments without any hardware changes.
This upgrade provides QIAcuity customers with a powerful technology that amplifies and detects multiple targets within a single reaction. By combining multiple PCR assays, researchers can now maximize sample use while simultaneously reducing time and reagent consumption that accelerates the process to obtain deep biological insights.
“Analyzing more targets simultaneously from a single biological sample is an important step in making QIAcuity even more the top choice for groundbreaking dPCR applications,” said Nitin Sood, Senior Vice President and Head of the Life Sciences Business Area at QIAGEN. “We are exploring ways to further increase the capabilities of QIAcuity to help researchers gain a deeper biological understanding of any sample type in a cost-efficient way without tedious optimization or fear of inaccurate quantification.”
The adoption of QIAcuity digital PCR research instrument is strong, with more than 2,700 cumulative placements at the end of 2024 and citations in over 550 publications. Key customers include pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic and research organizations and forensic laboratories. In the fall of 2024, QIAGEN expanded its dPCR portfolio into clinical testing with the launch of QIAcuityDx, which is designed to address clinical customer segments and applications and to further strengthen the QIAcuity family.
The QIAcuity High Multiplex Probe PCR Kit contains a ready-to-use master mix optimized for microfluidic use in the QIAcuity Nanoplates and lets users conveniently perform high-order multiplexing on existing QIAcuity instruments. The kit enhances the specificity and efficiency of probe-based digital PCR to provide accurate singleplex, or up to 12-plex analysis.
As a prerequisite to use the QIAcuity High Multiplex Probe PCR Kit, the QIAcuity Software 3.1 introduces essential features for high-order multiplexing such as crosstalk compensation which corrects signal overlap between targets. This enables researchers to confidently analyze more targets in parallel from one undivided sample.
QIAcuity dPCR catalog and custom assays for copy number variation (CNV) analysis and microbial detection have been re-designed to support up to 12-plex reactions. These assays are available through QIAGEN’s GeneGlobe platform.
The combination of sophisticated software and innovative chemistry make QIAcuity dPCR a superior solution for high-order multiplexing. It enhances workflows by offering greater target capacity and improved data reliability while QIAcuity remains the dPCR system with the highest throughput and is highly automation-friendly.
QIAGEN’s QIAcuity digital PCR platform utilizes nanoplates to disperse a sample into thousands of tiny partitions and then reads the reaction in each one simultaneously to quantify even the faintest signals from DNA and RNA. The platform integrates partitioning, thermocycling, and imaging into a streamlined multiplex workflow, reducing processing times from six hours to just two. Available in one-, four-, and eight-plate versions, the platform meets the needs of a wide range of laboratory sizes and throughput requirements.
For more information about QIAcuity’s new multiplexing capabilities, please visit
