Roche Molecular Diagnostics continues to lead innovations through development of real-time PCR, for which the company still holds many active patents. Now considered the state - of - the -art standard for molecular diagnostics, real-time PCR, greatly improves the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of earlier-generation PCR tests.
Roche Diagnostic retains a focus on six distinct areas - virology, blood screening, women’s health, microbiology, oncology, and genomics. The company’s automation technology platforms seek to enable the emergence of a brand – new diagnostics industry by making PCR analysis faster, less expensive, and more accessible, with broader-reaching applications.
Cancer diagnostics remain a major research and development focus at Roche Molecular Diagnostics. The business area is working closely with Roche Pharmaceuticals and its partners on companion tests for new therapeutics, including a real time PCR test to screen for common cancer causing mutation of the BRAF kinase gene.