ID CORE XT as a tool for molecular red blood cell typing

Introduction: Classic methods to determine human red blood cell (RBC) antigens are based on serologic testing, however there are some limitations. Based on these, several molecular techniques have been developed to bypass these restrictions and to detect the most important allelic variants, the last of great value for the approach in the personalized medicine, especially for patients in chronic transfusion regime. Areas covered: In this article, we provide an updated review of the ID CORE XT (Progenika Biopharma-Grifols, Bizkaia, Spain) that is one of the commercial DNA-based techniques available to genotyping of RBC antigens. Expert opinion: It is a platform based on Luminex technology with an automated workflow after DNA extraction and its robustness has been shown through validation studies. This technology provides a useful tool to increase the inventory of antigen-negative RBC units, through a mass-scale donor genotyping for RBC antigens and prevent immunization of patients who require chronic transfusion by providing compatible RBC units based on matching by DNA testing.