Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.

Thomas Vess

Hermann Leying

Guenter Ziegler

Norbert Franken

Judith Pinsl-Ober

Reiner Babiel

Method and apparatus, including computer program products, implement techniques for quantifying a target nucleic acid (target) in a test sample. The techniques include providing a target and a defined initial amount of an internal control nucleic acid (control) different from the target; amplifying the target and control in a common amplification process; measuring a quantity indicating the amount of amplification product for the target and for the control in relation to a parameter representing the progress of the amplification; determining a characteristic value of the progress parameter for the target based on measurement results related to the amount of target amplification product; possibly determining a characteristic value of the progress parameter for the control based on measurement results related to the amount of control amplification product; and quantifying the original amount of target according to a predefined or selected quantification scheme using at least the characteristic value for the target.

Quantification schemes for quantifying nucleic acids

Methods, apparatus, and systems, including computer program products, implement techniques for determining an amount of target nucleic acid ('target') in a sample. Signal data is received for a plurality of cycles of an amplification experiment performed on the target and a standard nucleic acid ('standard'). The signal data includes a series of signal values indicating a quantity of standard present during cycles of the standard amplification, and a series of signal values indicating a quantity of target present during cycles of the target amplification. A target growth curve value is defined using the target signal values and a standard growth curve value is defined using the standard signal values. An initial amount of the target is calculated according to a calibration equation using an initial amount of the standard, and the target and standard growth curve values, where the calibration equation is a nonlinear equation.

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El Sobrante, CA, United States of America

Thomas Vess