Patent ID: 9447476
Filing Date: 2016-09-20
CPC Classification: C12Q

Claim Text:
1. A method for amplifying and detecting a target nucleic acid of HCV in a biological sample suspected of containing the target nucleic acid, said method comprising: a) contacting nucleic acids in said biological sample with amplification reagents comprising at least a DNA polymerase, nucleoside triphosphate monomers, at least one extended forward primer specific for said target nucleic acid, or at least one extended reverse primer specific for said target nucleic acid, or a combination thereof, for generating at least one amplicon, and at least one detectable probe specific for said amplicon, or at least one DNA binding dye, wherein said at least one extended forward primer or said at least one reverse primer comprises a polyN sequence of between 2 and 10 nucleotides in length added to the 5′ terminus of the primer, said polyN sequence being non-complementary to the target sequence and comprising 100% of either (i) one defined selected nucleotide or (ii) two defined selected nucleotides, wherein said primer is sufficiently complementary to hybridize with said target nucleic acid, b) incubating said nucleic acids with said amplification reagents for a period of time and under conditions sufficient for an amplification reaction to occur, wherein the formation of high molecular weight products during amplification is reduced as compared to amplification without a primer comprising a polyN sequence; and c) detecting said amplicon via said at least one detectable probe or said at least one DNA binding dye.