Abstract

Primary assays for discovery of therapeutic oligos such as ASOs or siRNAs are typically cell-based with qPCR readout. At AstraZeneca we have recently optimized our oligo qPCR workflow with a one-step RT-qPCR protocol. We evaluated reagents and automation options and established a robust target agnostic one-step qPCR platform. This platform has now been implemented for screening. Using the one-step protocol, cost was reduced with 290 USD per assay plate compared to our two-step gold standard platform and laboratory resource time was reduced by 2 hours per screening occasion. In addition, the one-step protocol is compatible with full automation. Implementation of the one-step qPCR platform is an important step towards increasing capacity and accelerating oligo drug discovery at AstraZeneca.