Top of the News: ANDE Rapid DNA Platform First to Win FBI Approval

“Great news! The FBI just called.”
–Extremely rare phrase almost never uttered except sarcastically

One of the very few exceptions to the above principle is ANDE (previously known as NetBio), a Boston area DNA detection technology developer that just became the first firm to secure official FBI approval for a rapid DNA identification platform.

The Rapid DNA Act
The approval is the first under a 2017 federal law called the Rapid DNA Act which authorizes law enforcement to use rapid DNA analysis technology and upload the results into a federal database to identify perpetrators and exonerate the innocent. But the DNA analysis technology must first be approved before it can be used.

The ANDE System
The ANDE 6C system, which is based on MIT technology, is a two-hour test run on a cheek swab sample using the firm’s FlexPlex chemistry, a consumable chip and a ruggedized instrument. Now that it has been FBI-approved, accredited labs will be able to use the ANDE system to process DNA samples and search the results against the program without manual interpretation or technical review. According to a company spokesperson, ANDE is also expected to be the only system eligible for use in police booking stations. The “rapid” part of the system is crucial because it allows for the completion of testing while suspects are still in custody—often for different, unrelated crimes.