Archive for October, 2008
Thermo Fisher Scientific Launches Nanoliter Dispensing Tips for Automated Pipetting
Last Updated on Friday, 24 October 2008 02:22 Written by admin Friday, 24 October 2008 02:22
MILFORD, Mass. (Oct. 24, 2008) – Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the
world leader in serving science, has introduced new Thermo Scientific
PocketTip(r) D.A.R.T.s(r) tips, enabling nanoliter volume dispensing on
Thermo Scientific Matrix automated systems. An internally molded
capillary pocket allows the transfer of 50-500 nL of concentrated sample
compounds suspended in Dimethyl Sulphoxide (DMSO) directly to assay
plates, saving time, reagents and labware, as well as improving data
quality with in-tip mixing.
PocketTip D.A.R.T.s tips introduce an easy, low risk and reliable method
to change the way in which current instrumentation performs critical
liquid handling tasks. Through aspiration, the capillary pocket fills
with the specified amount of compound solution and facilitates soft
in-tip mixing of sample and assay material, removing time consuming
intermediate dilution steps and adding further function to the existing
instruments. Furthermore, the unique face seal of the D.A.R.T.s tip
minimizes tip-to-tip height variations for consistent dispensing. This
innovative pipetting method makes it possible to perform assays quicker,
reduce reagent costs and prevent compound precipitation for more
accurate and precise results.
The new PocketTip D.A.R.T.s tips are ideal for all secondary compound
screening applications, such as selectivity assays, potency
determinations, cell- and enzyme-based assays and PCR primer dilutions.
For further information, please see www.thermo.com/matrix.
Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader
in serving science.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving
science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and
safer. With annual revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000
employees and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and
biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities,
research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental
and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two
premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve
analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and
discovery. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of
high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment,
software, services, consumables and reagents to enable integrated
laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete
portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used
in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we
offer the most convenient purchasing options to customers and
continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace of
scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for
shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.
Posted under Equipment & Supplies, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
The German Cancer Research Center Investigates the Role of miRNAs in Carcinogenesis Using febit’s Geniom RT Analyzer
Last Updated on Friday, 24 October 2008 02:14 Written by admin Friday, 24 October 2008 02:14
LEXINGTON, Mass. (USA), and HEIDELBERG, Germany, Oct. 20, 2008 – The German Cancer
Research Center, also known as DKFZ, in Heidelberg (Germany) chose febit´s newly
introduced Geniom® RT Analyzer to investigate the association of microRNAs (miRNAs)
and cancer.
miRNAs are small pieces of RNA with a maximum length of 23 nucleotides, which have
become an important focus of life-science research in the past couple of years.
Since they do not encode any proteins, they remained largely unappreciated for many
decades. Recently, however, scientists began to realize their crucial role in the
regulation of intracellular events such as differentiation or apoptosis of cells.
The number of miRNA being discovered is growing by the day.
DKFZ scientists therefore searched for a technology that would allow them to keep
pace with the rapidly evolving miRNA databases, continually incorporating the latest
information into their research on the role of miRNAs in carcinogenesis. The newly
developed Geniom RT Analyzer ideally meets this requirement: it exploits freely
configurable biochips produced on demand at febit for microarray analysis of miRNA
profiles in biological samples.
“Our positive experience with the flexibility of febit´s Geniom contributed to our
decision to use the new Geniom RT Analyzer,” said Joerg Hoheisel, director of the
DKFZ Functional Genome Analysis Division. “Preliminary tests indicate an excellent
quality of microarray analysis. In addition, my team is enthusiastic about the
straight-forward operation and outstanding efficiency of the instrument.”
In addition to flexibility, the Geniom RT Analyzer offers a high degree of
automation and numeÂrous user-friendly features: all steps in the workflow,
including sample addition, hybridization, staining, washing, shaking and detection,
are performed in one single instrument requiring a minimum of operator time. The
efficient operation results with minimal error rates and offer consistent
experimental parameters providing highly reproducible results. Data read out by the
Geniom Wizard software may then be analyzed with standard software solutions.
In addition to miRNA analysis, the Geniom RT Analyzer offers a variety of other
high-performance applications. For example, a patented biochip protocol enables the
fragmenÂtation and sorting of large genomes in smaller well-defined fractions.
Without this essential fractionation step, the complexity of the genomic DNA would
preclude any effective analysis. These may then serve as samples in mutation
analysis and high-throughput sequencing with next-generation sequencers.
febit’s new Geniom RT Analyzer combines extraordinary flexibility with a high degree
of automation for microarray analysis. (Photo: febit)
About febit
febit enables scientists to read, write and understand the code of life: DNA. With
its unique Geniom technology and services, febit is the only company that puts the
control of simplified genomic research in the hand of the user. The seamless
integration of DNA synthesis and analysis and the superior support in experiment
design and bioinformatics helps to understand data and turn it into results. febit’s
team of experienced scientists is dedicated to support customers to solve the
challenge of understanding biological processes. Geniom is a technological and
service platform successfully implemented in basic and applied research by renowned
institutions and companies. Geniom exploits cutting-edge microarray technology for
analysis and synthesis of genes and genomes, providing superior time- and
cost-efficiency combined with an unsurpassed spectrum of applications.
For more information about febit and its products please visit
www.febit.com
About the DKFZ, Division of Functional Genome Analysis
Research at the division of Functional Genome Analysis at the DKFZ (German Cancer
Research Center) aims at the development and immediate application of new
technologies for the production and processing of molecular information at a global
cellular level. The overall objectives are an analysis, assessment and description
of the realisation of cellular function from genetic information as well as the
understanding of the regulation of the relevant processes. Many projects are pursued
in national and international collaborations and programmes.
For more information on Functional Genome Analysis at the DKFZ, please visit
www.dkfz.de/funct_genome/
Posted under Cancer Research, Collaborations, Europe, Genomics & Pharmacogenomics, Press Releases, RNA Reasearch | Comments Off
Hydra Biosciences Bolsters Discovery and IP Capabilities with Key Additions to Executive Management Team
Last Updated on Friday, 24 October 2008 01:42 Written by admin Friday, 24 October 2008 01:42
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Oct 24, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Hydra Biosciences, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel drugs using its expertise in Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) ion channels, announced today the expansion of its executive management team with the appointments of David Kimball, Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer and Christine Bellon, Ph.D. as Vice President of IP and Legal Affairs. Dr. Kimball most recently served as Senior Vice President, Discovery, at Pharmacopeia. Dr. Bellon joins Hydra from Infinity Pharmaceuticals, where she served as Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property.
“We are excited to add the demonstrated scientific, business and legal acumen of Christine and David to an already talented management team, and believe their appointments are indicative of the broader near-term growth potential for our organization,” said Russell Herndon, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydra. “David and Christine will each play a key role in advancing and building upon the strong IP position of our deep and competitively differentiated pipeline of TRP ion channel antagonists and agonists in development for the treatment of pain, inflammatory disease, pulmonary dysfunction, and other indications.”
Dr. Kimball joins Hydra with 25 years of experience in the discovery and development of small molecule drug candidates. At Pharmacopeia Dr. Kimball was responsible for research alliances as well as drug discovery research from target identification through preclinical development. During his six years at Lexicon, Dr. Kimball built the company’s discovery capability with direct responsibility for Lexicon’s small molecule pipeline. Dr. Kimball grew and managed an organization of over 75 chemists, including medicinal, analytical, computational, process research and development, library synthesis and outsourcing chemistry. Prior to joining Lexicon, Dr. Kimball spent nearly 20 years at Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, most recently as Research Fellow in the Division of Medicinal Chemistry. During his tenure at BMS, Dr. Kimball led several significant drug discovery and development research efforts that culminated in clinical compounds. An Associate Member of the graduate faculty at Rutgers University School of Pharmacy since 1989, Dr. Kimball received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry/Chemical Biology from the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Dr. Bellon brings more than 15 years of experience in intellectual property law to Hydra. Dr. Bellon came to Hydra from Infinity Pharmaceuticals, where she held the position of Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property. Prior to her position at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Dr. Bellon served as patent counsel at Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, where she was responsible for the company’s small molecule cardiovascular and metabolic disease patent portfolio and structural biology patent portfolio. Earlier in her career, Dr. Bellon was an attorney in the Boston office of Fish & Richardson P.C., where her practice focused on patent prosecution and client counseling in the areas of pharmaceuticals, chemicals, polymers, and biotechnology. Dr. Bellon received a B.S. in Chemistry from Yale University, and holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a J.D. degree from Columbia Law School.
About TRP Ion Channels
Ion channels have been implicated in many diseases, including hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, gastrointestinal disorders, cystic fibrosis and pathological pain. Many drugs on the market today act on ion channels, either directly or indirectly, including calcium channel blockers for hypertension and angina, and sodium channel blockers for pain. Hydra’s TRP channel discovery program has identified numerous modulators predicted to impact diseases such as pain and inflammation, hypertension, and pulmonary diseases. Many of these modulators have been shown to be efficacious in animal models of disease. In addition, ion channels have been successful drug targets, with modulators of ion flux representing up to 17% of world pharmaceutical sales.
About Hydra Biosciences
Hydra Biosciences, a biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, develops novel drugs to treat pain, inflammation, cardiovascular and other diseases using its expertise in novel ion channels. Hydra’s proprietary high throughput screening platforms enable the company to identify and develop drug candidates that address significant unmet medical needs. More information about Hydra Biosciences is available at: www.hydrabiosciences.com.
Posted under Collaborations, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off
Drug Discovery Latin America, February 26-27, 2009 – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Last Updated on Friday, 24 October 2008 11:25 Written by admin Friday, 24 October 2008 11:25
The inaugural Drug Discovery Latin America conference and exhibition will be held in the colourful city of Rio de Janeiro in the days immediately following the world famous carnival.
The purpose of this meeting is to review the status of drug discovery activities in Latin America and to assist its future development. Business and research leaders from both developed markets and BRIC countries will bring their knowledge and experience to share. Participants will be encouraged to network and explore partnering opportunities.
Full conference passes include admission to all sessions and the exhibition as well as conference documentation.
Lunch, coffee breaks and the drinks reception provide ample time for networking and to continue discussions from the question and answer sessions.
http://www.selectbiosciences.com/conferences/DDLA2009
Agenda
Day One – 26 February 2009
Screening
09:00
Using Drug Molecules as Probes and Probe Molecules as Drug Precursors
Ralph Garippa, Research Leader, Roche Discovery Technologies
This talk will highlight some examples of Pharma’s HT screened molecules which became popular commercialized reagents, and some promising molecules which have been published in the public domain (PubMed) as a result of academic screening.
09:30
Title to be Confirmed
Jeremy Caldwell, Director of Cell Based Screening, GNF
10:00
Using in vitro Screening Assays to Profile the Biology of Chemical Entities
John Watson, Director, Pharmacology and Biotechnology, Promega
Profiling of a compound’s impact on cell signaling pathways, ADME properties and cellular toxicity early in the discovery process can help prioritize compounds to help assure the final drug has maximal target activity and minimal off target effects.
10:30
Coffee and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
11:15
Nuclear Receptor Activation Assessment: Improving Safety and Directing Chemistry
Kyle Kramer, Vice President, Business Development, Puracyp
The presentation includes introduction to key nuclear receptors (NR) involved in drug metabolism. The construction and use of stable cell lines with reporter genes is explained. Finally, the utility of these systems in drug safety screening is presented.
11:45
Functional Genome-Wide Screening for Genes that Regulate p53 in Endothelial Cells
Michael Edel, Principle Investigator, Centre of Regenerative Medicine in Barcelona
Angiogenesis requires an increase in endothelial cell proliferation to support an increase in mass of blood vessels. An in vitro cell model has been designed that can be used for screening gene or chemical libraries that regulate endothelial cell proliferation.
12:15
Presentation to be Announced
12:45
Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
Tropical Disease Drug Development
14:00
Prolyl Oligopeptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi (POP Tc80) : A Target for the Design of New Weapons Against Chagas Desease
Bernard Maigret, CNRS Research Director, LORIA – Nancy University
The group has recently demonstrated that the activity of POPTc80, a prolyl endopeptidase that mediates native collagen and fibronectin hydrolysis, is required for trypomastigotes entry into host cells. Using a tridimentionnel model of this target built from homology modelling, molecular docking and screening assays they were able to identify possible new compounds active against Chagas desease.
14:30
Novel Drug Targets for the Malaria Parasite
Asif Mohmmed, Staff Research Scientist, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology
15:00
Title to be Confirmed
Leila de Mendonça Lima, Senior Researcher and Head of Lab. for Functional Genomics and Bioinformatics, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ
15:30
Coffee and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
16:15
Drug Discovery of Fluorinated Drugs Against Neglected Diseases and HIV/AIDS
Núbia Boechat, Head of R&D Group in Medicinal Chemistry, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, FIOCRUZ
Organic synthesis of fluorinated compounds in medicinal chemistry against AIDS and neglected diseases; innovation and technological management in public health.
Drug Discovery in Emerging Markets
16:45
Drug Development and Discovery
Christopher Bianca, Professor of Chemistry, Clinical Consultant, Keystone College Academia
This presentation discusses all the relevant information required to develop a new drug or a lead compound drug, from toxicology, to pharmacodynamics, to pharmacokinetics, and all the way to clinical trials including FDA approval.
17:15
Stem Cells in Drug Discovery
Chris Kendrick-Parker, Chief Commercial Officer, Cellular-Dynamics International
17:45
Drinks Reception
Day Two – 27 February 2009
Drug Discovery in Emerging Markets (continued)
09:00
Title to be Confirmed
Marcelo Criscuolo, Executive Director, Bio Sidus
09:30
Ranbaxy’s Quest to Become a Research Based International Pharmaceutical Company
Abhijit Ray, Director, New Drug Discovery Research, Ranbaxy Laboratories
Ranbaxy has worked hard to create physical infrastructure, science base and a sustainable strategy for drug discovery research. How this effort has borne fruit will be discussed.
10:00
Taking Companies from Concept to Market
Paul Morril, Co-Founder, Execute Technologies
10:30
Coffee and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
11:15
Title to be Confirmed
Jose Krieger, Heart Institute (InCor), University of Sao Paulo
11:45
Comparative Proteomics Identification of Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Leukemias
Eliana Abdelhay, Head of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Laboratory, National Cancer Institute (INCA)
Through proteomics the group analyzed the modifications in the protein profile of bone marrow MNCs from patients in CML phases and in Imatinib Mesylate treatment. They could identify several putative biomarkers of diagnostic, evolution and treatment response that can be use in drug design.
12:15
NFAT Transcription Factors: A Putative New Target in Cancer
João Viola, Head, Division of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute (INCA)
The Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (NFAT) family of transcription factors is activated upon different stimuli that lead to increased intracellular calcium levels. NFAT proteins regulate genes that control many aspects of malignant cell transformation and tumour development. The group investigates the molecular mechanisms by which NFAT regulate tumour-related events and its involvement in oncogenesis.
12:45
Lunch and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
Natural Products
14:00
ChemBioBank, an Academic Project for Drug Discovery in Latin America
Fernando Albericio, Executive Director, Barcelona Science Park, University of Barcelona
The goal of the Latin American ChemBioBank project (LA-CBB) is to build a chemico-biological database, annotated with both biological and bioinformatic data, addressed to the scientific community and to the pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
14:30
High Content Screens for Novel Antipoxviral Agents: Natural Products to the Rescue
Hakim Djaballah, Director, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre
The group have developed and validated a high content assay to screen for compounds that would preferentially block viral entry, viral replication, or viral spread upon infecting cell monolayer seeded in 384-well plates with a recombinant vaccinia virus which expresses karyophilic GFP under the control of a viral early/late promoter.
15:00
Using a Luciferase Based Screening Assay to Identify Traditional Chinese Medicine Targeting Nuclear Hormone Receptors
Chiwai Wong, Principal Investigator, Guangzhou Institute of Biomedicine and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Since the activities of nuclear hormone receptors (NHRs) are regulated by small molecule compounds and that Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) extracts contain a diverse array of naturally derived chemicals, the group investigated if selective TCM extracts modulate the activities of NHRs.
15:30
Coffee and Networking in the Exhibition Hall
16:15
Bourreria huanita Flowers, a New Antidepressant?
Miguel Torres, Biological Chemist, University of San Carlos
Ethnobotanical and pharmacological studies have preliminarily demonstrated an antidepressant effect in ethanolic extract of dried Bourreria huanita (Boraginaceae) flowers from Guatemala. It’s possible this natural product contains a medically useful molecule and funding is required to continue the chemical analysis and elucidation.
16:45
Post Absorption and Metabolism Compounds: A New Approach to Discover Drug Candidates from Chinese Herbal Medicine
William Jia, VP Research and Associate Professor, Shanghai Innovative Research Centre/University of British Columbia
In a recent study the group has isolated compounds post absorption/metabolism (PAM) of orally taken ginseng. The study showed that those compounds are highly active for neuroprotection and anti-depression.
Posted under Medicinal Chemistry, Natural Products, Press Releases, South America, South America | Comments Off
Tepnel Expands Genetic Services Portfolio with Addition of Illumina iScan Rapid Reader
Last Updated on Friday, 24 October 2008 10:36 Written by admin Friday, 24 October 2008 10:36
MANCHESTER, United Kingdom & STAMFORD, Conn.–Tepnel Life Sciences PLC (AIM:
TED) today announced that it has expanded its molecular genetic services
offering through the addition of Illumina’s iScan System, a next-generation
scanner that provides researchers conducting genetic variation studies with
significantly greater throughput and application diversity. This
announcement marks the first anniversary of Tepnel’s new pharmaceutical
services facility and makes Tepnel the first commercial provider of iScan
services within the UK.
Combined with Tepnel’s established range of upstream and downstream genetic
capabilities, the Company now offers a full suite of complementary services
from DNA extraction through to Bioinformatics. Illumina’s iScan platform
supports both human and non-human applications and is capable of generating
up to 225 million genotypes per day.
Tepnel also has a variety of other platforms and techniques for SNP-based
investigations for both human and non-human research and clinical
applications. This breadth of service enables Tepnel to provide a complete
solution from DNA extraction through to SNP genotyping and DNA sequencing,
all undertaken in accordance with Good Laboratory Practice (GLP).
“Tepnel can offer customers a broad portfolio of innovative genetic analysis
assays some of which are supported on our new high-throughput iScan reader,”
said David Scott, General Manager of Tepnel’s Livingston facility. “This new
addition to our service opens up the possibility to our customers of whole
genome association, focused content analysis, copy number variation analysis
and, epigenetics on both human and non-human samples, all within a
regulatory compliant environment.”
“Accelerating and expanding our molecular genetic services at this rapid
pace reflects our commitment to the long-term strategy of building Tepnel’s
market presence in the fast-growing sectors of
pharmacogenomics/pharmacogenetics and genetic disease disposition testing,”
said Allan Brown, Managing Director, Tepnel Research Products & Services.
About Tepnel Life Sciences plc
Tepnel Life Sciences (AIM:TED) is a UK-based international life sciences
products and services Group with two divisions, Molecular Diagnostics and
Research Products & Services. The Company has laboratories, manufacturing
and operations in the USA, UK and France with over 200 employees. Tepnel
provides test kits, reagents and services to two highly synergistic markets,
these being Molecular Diagnostics and Biomedical Research. The Company’s
strategy has been to identify high growth niche opportunities within these
multi-billion pound markets. Tepnel focuses on these niche operations with
internally developed products, patents, expertise and know-how as well as
strategic acquisitions, to develop a leadership position within these
defined market segments. For more information please visit www.tepnel.com.
Posted under BioInformatics, Clinical Trials, DNA Reasearch, Europe, Genetics & Pharmacogenetics, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
AnaSpec Introduces New SensoLyteTM MMP ELISA Kits
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 02:46 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 02:46
San Jose, CA October 16, 2008
Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) belong to a family of secreted or membrane-associated zinc endopeptidases involved in both normal and diseased tissue remodeling. They are capable of degrading all kinds of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, but also can process a number of bioactive molecules. MMPs are key players in normal and pathological processes, including embryogenesis, wound healing, inflammation, arthritis, and cancer.
MMPs share common structural and functional elements and are products of different genes. The three common domains include the pro-peptide, the catalytic domain and the haemopexin-like C-terminal domain linked to the catalytic domain by a flexible hinge region. MMPs are initially synthesized as inactive (latent) zymogens with a pro-peptide domain that must be removed before the enzyme is active.
AnaSpec is pleased to complement its MMP product line with a suite of SensoLyteTM MMP ELISA Kits. These kits are ideal for quantitative detection of MMP proteins (latent and active forms) in serum, plasma, cell culture supernates and urine. The SensoLyteTM ELISA Kits use a convenient, 96-well plate based format with colorimetric read-out.
AnaSpec?s widely used fluorescent SensoLyteTM MMP Activity Assays measure active MMPs in a convenient, 96-well plate-based method with highly sensitive fluorimetric read-out. A colorimetric read-out MMP Activity Assay kit is also available.
About AnaSpec
AnaSpec is a leading provider of integrated proteomics solutions to the world?s largest biotech, pharmaceutical, and academic research institutions. With a vision for innovation through synergy, AnaSpec focuses on three core technologies: peptides, detection reagents, and combinatorial chemistry.
For more information visit www.anaspec.com
Posted under New Products, North America, Peptide Research, Press Releases, Proteomics | Comments Off
BNC Collaborators Author High-profile Paper in Nature Nanotechnology
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 02:28 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 02:28
London, UK – 17 October 2008: Research by scientists collaborating with specialist product development consultancy, Bio Nano Consulting (BNC), into the workings of vancomycin – one of the few antibiotics that can be used to combat increasingly resistant infections such as MRSA – has been published in Nature Nanotechnology (October 2008). The researchers, led by Dr Rachel McKendry and Professor Gabriel Aeppli at the London Centre for Nanotechnology, developed novel, ultra-sensitive nanomechanical probes capable of providing new insight into how antibiotics work, paving the way for the development of more effective new drugs.
Commenting on the new research, Bio Nano Consulting CEO, Dr David Sarphie said “BNC was set up specifically to help companies apply nanotechnology tools to address real-world biomedical problems such as antimicrobial resistance. Working with the BNC allows companies access scientists who have expertise in numerous ground-breaking nanotech-related research areas, and this paper in Nature Nanotechnology is a great example of the highest quality research that they are undertaking.â€
During the study Dr McKendry, Joseph Ndieyira, Moyu Watari and coworkers used cantilever arrays – tiny levers no wider than a human hair – to examine the process which ordinarily takes place in the body when vancomycin binds itself to the surface of the bacteria. They coated the cantilever array with mucopeptides from bacterial cell walls and found that as the antibiotic attaches itself, it generates a surface stress on the bacteria which can be detected by a tiny bending of the levers. The team suggests that this stress contributes to the disruption of the cell walls and the breakdown of the bacteria.
The interdisciplinary team went on to compare how vancomycin interacts with both non-resistant and resistant strains of bacteria. The ‘superbugs’ are resistant to antibiotics because of a simple mutation which deletes a single hydrogen bond from the structure of their cell walls. This small change makes it approximately 1,000 times harder for the antibiotic to attach itself to the bug, leaving it much less able to disrupt the cells’ structure, and therefore therapeutically ineffective.
“There has been an alarming growth in antibiotic-resistant hospital ‘superbugs’ such as MRSA and vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE),†said Dr McKendry. “This is a major global health problem and is driving the development of new technologies to investigate antibiotics and how they work.
“The cell wall of these bugs is weakened by the antibiotic, ultimately killing the bacteria,†she continued. “Our research on cantilever sensors suggests that the cell wall is disrupted by a combination of local antibiotic-mucopeptide binding and the spatial mechanical connectivity of these events. Investigating both these binding and mechanical influences on the cells’ structure could lead to the development of more powerful and effective antibiotics in future.â€
Established in late 2007, BNC provides a seamless concept-to-market route for the bio-nanotechnology sector.
Image caption:
A schematic representation to show the nanomechanical detection of antibiotic-peptide interactions on multiple cantilever arrays. The blue and white structures show chemical binding interaction between vancomycin and the bacterial mucopeptide analogue, DAla. The red line represents the mechanical connectivity of the chemically reacted regions on the cantilever.
For more information please visit www.bio-nano-consulting.com
Editors’ notes
About the paper and authors:
The article ‘Nanomechanical Detection of Antibiotic Mucopeptide Binding in a Model for Superbug Drug Resistance’ by J. W. Ndieyira et al., was published in Nature Nanotechnology, October 12 2008.
About Bio Nano Consulting
The BNC is a specialist research and development consultancy operating in the convergent field of bionanotechnology. A joint venture of Imperial College London and University College London, the BNC is funded through the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) with additional support from the London Development Agency (LDA).
Along with its partner organisation, the National Physical Laboratory, the BNC offers a service to the biomedical and healthcare industries in microsystems and nanotechnology. This encompasses design, 3-D modelling and visualisation, rapid prototyping, and characterisation.
Posted under Collaborations, Drug Development, Europe, Medicinal Chemistry, Nanotechnology, New Products, Peptide Research, Press Releases | Comments Off
It shouldn’t be that difficult to stick a label to a frozen vial!
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:19 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:11
Brady Freezerbondz labels overcome the virtually impossible task of labelling already frozen samples. Gone are the days where a sample needs to be thawed before a tracking and identification label can be applied. Now with Freezerbondz labels, you can quickly and easily identify samples in their frozen state.
The specially formulated permanent adhesive on Freezerbondz labels will stick and stay to samples that are taken from a cryogenically frozen state to a hot water bath without the loss of any sample information. As well as staying power Freezerbondz also withstand contact with chemicals such as DMSP and Xylene.
* Easy to identify frosted, frozen, or room temperature samples without the need to overlap the label
* Superb resilience in common laboratory environments such as liquid nitrogen -196ºC, Freezer -80ºC, Autoclave, 100ºC, hot water and room temperature baths.
* Extreme chemical resistance
* HIPAA compliant
* Especially designed for use on curved surfaces
* Easy to handle and remove from the liner
www.bradylab.com
Posted under Equipment & Supplies, Europe, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
Bibby Scientific’s latest personal thermal cycler takes more samples, but no more space
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:20 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:08
Bibby Scientific announces an addition to the Techne range of personal thermal cyclers – the expanded capacity TC-3000X. With a highly successful half-century track record in the design and manufacture of temperature control equipment, Bibby Scientific’s world-leading Techne brand is synonymous with robust, reliable, reproducible DNA amplification.
The new TC-3000X has two interchangeable block options. The 6 x 8 format 48-well block can be used with 0.2 ml microtubes or, for greater ease of handling when higher throughput is required, Techne has introduced 24 and 48-well plates and 8-tube strips. Alternatively, the 30 x 0.5 ml block offers significantly greater capacity than the usual 12 or 20 tubes of this size. The defined pressure, heated lid of the TC-3000X is fully height-adjustable, giving researchers the widest possible choice of consumables.
Rob Skehens, Marketing Director, Bibby Scientific, puts the new Techne thermal cycler in context: ‘With the increased use of PCR techniques, demand for higher throughput has grown and the traditional 25-tube capacity of personal thermal cyclers is no longer sufficient for many users. The TC-3000X not only fits a 48-well block for 0.2 ml tubes within the same small footprint as our lower capacity TC-3000 model, it is also unique among personal thermal cyclers in accommodating as many as 30 x 0.5 ml tubes. With two block types which are easily interchangeable, plus an adjustable lid enabling a multitude of different consumables to be used, the TC-3000X offers unrivalled versatility – and at low cost.’
The TC-3000X has exceptional block uniformity of less than ±0.2 °C at 50 °C, as well as the fastest heating rate of all 48-well cyclers in the market at 3.3 °C per second. Intuitive software with speed dial functionality facilitates fast program location and, utilising the USB connection, one standalone unit or up to 32 cyclers linked together can be controlled by Techne’s free Gensoft PC software.
www.bibby-scientific.com
Posted under Equipment & Supplies, Europe, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
Thermo Fisher Scientific Introduces New Low Binding Surface for Cell Culture
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:01 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 01:01
ROSKILDE, Denmark (October 21, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has introduced the new Nuncâ„¢ HydroCellâ„¢ Surface for the cultivation of single cells and cell clusters in suspension. Designed to prevent cell attachment, the Nunc HydroCell Surface allows scientists to grow in suspension cells that are sensitive to unwanted activation and differentiation signals arising from cell adhesion. Furthermore, the adsorption of culture medium-derived proteins and cell-secreted proteins to the Nunc HydroCell Surface is minimal.
With the Nunc HydroCell Surface, more homogenous suspension cultures and higher yields of cells and cell-secreted proteins can be achieved across many cell culture applications, including those involving monocytes/macrophages and different types of stem cells. The Nunc HydroCell Surface is a thin layer of a covalently-immobilized super hydrophilic polymer and is available as sterile MicroWellâ„¢ plates, dishes and multi-dishes, all with a certificate-stating conformance to functional, sterility, non-pyrogenic and toxicity tests.
For more information on the new Nunc HydroCell, please visit www.thermo.com/hydrocell
HydroCell Surface is licensed from CellSeed Inc. in Japan.
Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With annual revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000 employees and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we offer the most convenient purchasing options to customers and continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.
Posted under Cell-based Assays, Europe, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
Thermo Fisher Scientific Introduces Novel Temperature-Responsive Cell Culture Surface
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 12:58 Written by admin Thursday, 23 October 2008 12:58
ROSKILDE, Denmark (October 21, 2008) - Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, has introduced the new Nuncâ„¢ UpCellâ„¢ Surface for temperature-induced cell harvesting. Designed to enable quick dissociation of cells from the culture surface upon a simple change in temperature, the Nunc UpCell Surface negates the need for enzymatic treatment (trypsinization) and cell scraping, while maintaining cell viability and the integrity of surface receptors and antigens. Even cell types that are difficult to detach by other methods and contiguous cell sheets can be harvested from the Nunc UpCell Surface, and harvested cell sheets can be stacked on top of each other in order to create 3-D tissue models and co-cultures. The Nunc UpCell Surface is available as sterile MicroWellâ„¢ plates, dishes and multi-dishes, all with a certificate stating conformance to functional, sterility, non-pyrogenic and toxicity tests.
The novel Nunc UpCell surface consists of a covalently-immobilized polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), or PIPAAm, which forms a thin, even layer on the culture dish or plate. Slightly hydrophobic at 37°C, the surface allows cells to attach and grow, but hydrophilic when the temperature is reduced to below 32°C, the surface will bind water and swell, resulting in the release of adherent cells with their underlying extracellular matrix (ECM). The retention of the ECM under the cells enables the harvesting of contiguous cell sheets with preserved cell polarization and cell-cell junctions and the attachment of one cell sheet to another cell sheet or a graft site without the use of fibrin glue or sutures. 3-D tissue models and co-cultures can thus be created without scaffolds and exogenous materials, greatly simplifying cell culture for tissue engineering.
For more information on the benefits of the new Thermo Scientific Nunc UpCell Surface and to see how this could transform cultures, please visit www.thermo.com/UpCell.
UpCell Surface is licensed from CellSeed Inc. in Japan.
Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in serving science.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With annual revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000 employees and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and
biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve analytical challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals, supplies and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and education. Together, we offer the most convenient purchasing options to customers and continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.
Posted under Cell-based Assays, Europe, New Products, Press Releases | Comments Off
Cell-Based Assays: Innovations in Reagents, Technologies & Screening October 23 – 24, 2008
Last Updated on Thursday, 23 October 2008 12:56 Written by admin Wednesday, 22 October 2008 04:56
Cell-based assays provide one of the most valuable tools in drug discovery. They are routinely used in target validation, HTS campaigns, structure activity relationship analyses and ADMET studies. Many factors need to be considered in designing, developing and running relevant cell based assays to progress discovery programs. Significant advances continue to be made in assay design and cell supply processes that incorporate biologically relevant cell types and novel detection technologies. This symposium is designed to capture successful techniques and practices that enable high quality cell-based assays using commonly employed cell types such as CHO, HEK and U-2 OS, as well as the expanding application of additional cell types. The symposium will be of great interest to cell culture scientists, assay developers, screeners, medicinal chemists, ADMET and therapeutic teams.
Session Overviews:
Session 1: Cells as Reagents – Fact or Fiction?
This session will cover various aspects of the most important material used in cell-based assays: the cells. The talks will address the topics such as: how to characterize cell lines to ensure their identity? What are the impacts to the cells after transfection? What are the issues during scale up process? This session will also highlight advances in cell culture automation and material tracking system for cell-based assays.
Session 2: Assay Development – Present Realities
Topics covered include the application of BacMam virus based gene delivery in assay development, the development of high-content cellular assays, dielectric spectroscopy technology and photoprotein aqueorin based GPCR assay platforms and considerations in screening for antibody based therapeutics.
Session 3: Cell-Based Screening – The How, Why & Where
This session will include topics on the implementation of cell-based assays and screens across the discovery process focusing on the challenges, solutions and issues to consider. Presentations include experiences with high throughput screening for lead identification, profiling with cellular panels, ADME applications, and the use of high content screening in both drug discovery and to probe complex cellular systems.
Session 4: Cell-Based Assays – Emerging Trends
The topics in this session will address emerging trends in supply of cells that attempts to bridge the gap between traditional target based in vitro assays and in vivo measurements. The presentations will highlight potential applications of cells to build model systems that can offer the combined benefits of traditional in vitro and ex vivo approaches. These emerging technologies and methodologies hold the promise of addressing a major gap in using target based approaches to discover new biological tools and drugs and will challenge the supply of cell reagents.
http://www.sbsonline.com/
Posted under ADMET Studies, Cell-based Assays, Genomics & Pharmacogenomics, HT Screening, Medicinal Chemistry, North America, Press Releases, USA and Canada | Comments Off
TimTec and Collaborative Drug Discovery Team Up to Provide Chemically Searchable Natural Products and Derivatives Available to the Scientific Community
Last Updated on Wednesday, 22 October 2008 04:52 Written by admin Wednesday, 22 October 2008 04:50
TimTec LLC., the international distributor of synthetic organic and natural compounds, and Collaborative Drug Discovery, Inc. (CDD), the community based research information management enterprise, announced today that the CDD web-based software now hosts TimTec’s Natural Product Library and Natural Derivatives Library. The TimTec natural product and derivative compounds are now available as a structure searchable database in the CDD Web2.0 collaborative research information system.
The CDD-TimTec Natural Products Library (NPL-480) and Natural Derivatives Library (NDL-3000) databases comprise almost 3,500 compounds available from TimTec. NPL-480 is a new library of 480 natural compounds composed of pure natural products as lead identifying materials. NDL-3000 elaborates on structural variety of pure natural compounds and includes synthetic compounds and synthetically modified pure natural compounds including, but not limited to, alkaloids, natural phenols, nucleoside analogs, carbohydrates, purines, pyrimidines, flavonoids, steroidal compounds and natural amino acids.
“The growing number of research institutions world-wide now investigating natural products will buoy the discovery of novel chemistry leading to a wealth of therapeutic breakthroughs,†said Dr. Barry Bunin, President of Collaborative Drug Discovery. “It’s natural that TimTec’s laboratories complement CDD’s academic partners in natural products research with a unique commercial source of natural products and diverse derivatives.â€
“Beyond our successful compounds libraries, chemical software and drug discovery services, TimTec immediately appreciates the unique advantage and elegance of the CDD system to share our natural product compounds with the growing CDD community,†said Dr. Murat Niyazymbetov founder and President of TimTec.
The TimTec databases join 14 other publicly available data sources in the CDD system with chemical and biological data for over 42,000 agents including:
* 1,700 FDA approved drugs with indications and sponsors
* Over 15,000 compounds with Malaria assay data from 5 public data sources
* More than 850 compounds with Tuberculosis antibacterial activity information
* Over 47,000 Ki values against 699 GPCR targets from the NIMH Psychoactive Drug Screening Program (PDSP) Database
* 25,000 plus compounds available for purchase
About TimTec LLC.
TimTec LLC. – http://www.timtec.net – is a privately held company located in Newark Delaware, USA. It was founded in 1995 and began its work in the areas of acquisition and distribution of synthetic organic and natural compounds, custom synthesis, and laboratory equipment to become a full service partner for drug discovery. TimTec has established a global network of thousands of scientists from research centers around the world. The company has developed strong in-house expertise assembling general and targeted library collections for variety of research purposes. International customers include major pharmaceutical, biotech, agricultural, and educational companies and institutions, which use TimTec products for research and development programs.
For further information please contact:
Barry Bunin, Ph.D.
President & CEO
Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD)
1818 Gilbreth Road, Suite 220
Burlingame, CA 94010
650-204-3084
info(at)collaborativedrug.com
Kay Denisova
Business Development
TimTec LLC.
Harmony Business Park Building 301-A
Newark, DE 19711
Tel 302 292 8500
Fax 302 292 8520
info(at)timtec.net
http://www.timtec.net
Posted under Collaborations, Compound Libraries, Compound Screening, Drug-Like Compounds, Natural Products, New Products, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off
Thermo Fisher Scientific Holds European Proteomics Seminar Series on Protein Quantitation
Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 October 2008 10:51 Written by admin Wednesday, 15 October 2008 10:51
SAN JOSE, Calif. (October 15, 2008) – Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the
world leader in serving science, today announced the dates for its 2008
European Proteomics Seminar Series. The series, which takes place throughout
October and November, has become an established venue for scientific and
technological discussion and the sharing of practical tips.
The theme of the 2008 seminar series is protein quantitation. The seminars
will provide attendees with a unique opportunity to get firsthand
information about protein quantitation methods such as SILAC, the use of
tandem mass tagging (TMT) labels for relative quantitation of proteins with
the Thermo Scientific LTQ Orbitrap and targeted peptide quantitation applied
to biomarker verification.
Each seminar brings together world-class researchers in the fields of
proteomics and metabolomics who will share their results and insights. A
highlight of the discussions is electron transfer dissociation (ETD), a new
technique broadly applicable to proteomics and now available on LTQ Orbitrap
systems. Complementary to metabolomics and proteomics approaches in the
context of systems biology, functional proteomics, phosphopeptide and other
PTM analysis, signaling networks and top-down intact protein analyses add to
the breadth of topics covered by the seminars. In addition, the company’s
application scientists will cover practical issues related to sample
preparation, method setup and data processing.
The following is a list of dates and locations for the Thermo Scientific
Proteomics Seminars:
.    Monday, October 6, Tours, France.
.    Tuesday, October 7, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
.    Wednesday, October 8, Copenhagen, Denmark.
.    Thursday, October 9, Stockholm, Sweden.
.    Wednesday, October 15, Manchester, United Kingdom.
.    Thursday, October 16, Dublin, Ireland.
.    Friday, October 17, London, United Kingdom.
.    Monday, October 20, Vienna, Austria.
.    Tuesday, October 21, Munich, Germany.
.    Wednesday, October 22, Basel, Switzerland.
.    Thursday, October 23, Berlin, Germany.
.    Monday, November 10, Madrid, Spain.
.    Wednesday, November 12, Barcelona, Spain.
.    Thursday, November 13, Milan, Italy.
For more information about the Thermo Scientific Proteomics Seminars 2008,
including the full agendas for each event as well as registration, visit the
seminar Web site.
Thermo Scientific is part of Thermo Fisher Scientific, the world leader in
serving science.
About Thermo Fisher Scientific
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE: TMO) is the world leader in serving
science, enabling our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and
safer. With annual revenues of $10 billion, we have more than 30,000
employees and serve over 350,000 customers within pharmaceutical and biotech
companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research
institutions and government agencies, as well as environmental and
industrial process control settings. Serving customers through two premier
brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, we help solve analytical
challenges from routine testing to complex research and discovery. Thermo
Scientific offers customers a complete range of high-end analytical
instruments as well as laboratory equipment, software, services, consumables
and reagents to enable integrated laboratory workflow solutions. Fisher
Scientific provides a complete portfolio of laboratory equipment, chemicals,
supplies and services used in healthcare, scientific research, safety and
education. Together, we offer the most convenient purchasing options to
customers and continuously advance our technologies to accelerate the pace
of scientific discovery, enhance value for customers and fuel growth for
shareholders and employees alike. Visit www.thermofisher.com.
Posted under Europe, Europe, North America, Press Releases, Proteomics | Comments Off
BIO-Europe 2008 Announces New Program Highlights
Last Updated on Tuesday, 14 October 2008 10:36 Written by admin Tuesday, 14 October 2008 10:36
Carlsbad, CA and Washington D.C., — October 14, 2008: Only a month remains
before BIO-Europe 2008, the world’s largest stand-alone partnering
conference, takes place in Mannheim/Heidelberg, Germany, November 17-19. In
response to the continuous growth and popularity of this well established
biotechnology partnering event, EBD Group is announcing additional
conference program highlights to offer even greater insight into a variety
of important industry topics.
If you wish to learn more about any of the sessions below, please visit the
BIO-Europe 2008 Program
Maximizing Your Deal – The Business Case for Translational Medicine in
Oncology:
Led by John Freshley, Compendia Bioscience, and featuring Dr. Ganesh Iyer,
MDS Pharma; Aron Knickerbocker, Genentech; and Dr. Linda Pullan, Pullan
Consulting; this session will explore the current and future state of
translational medicine in oncology and dealmaking.
Biotech-CMO Partnerships – Ways to Create Value:
Klaus Binder, Binder Associates and Marcel Lubben, DSM Biologics; will
confront the challenges in finding the right technologies and partners to
develop and manufacture biopharmaceuticals. In addition, the panel will shed
light on how biotech/pharma companies can identify partners and technologies
to optimize resources and accelerate timelines.
Critical Issues to Consider when Entering the U.S. Market and Partnering
with U.S. Companies:
Moderator Ray Briscuso, AdvaMed 2009 and panelists Dr. Steve Bryant, Genmab;
Joe Dillon, The Mattson Jack Group; Christopher Yochim, AstraZeneca; and
Jorn Mueller, NovoNordisk. This workshop will examine how to get timely U.S.
Food and Drug Administration approval, position products for the best
reimbursement and negotiate with governments, among other critical issues.
Dealmaking in China:
This session explores the rapidly growing life science and healthcare
industry in China. Led by Dr. Ruediger Herrmann, Mayer Brown; this workshop
will feature China experts Simon Bury, ChemPartner; Dr. Darren Ji,
PharmaLegacy Laboratories; Dr. Sofie Qiao, LEAD Therapeutics; and Dr. Jimmy
Wei, Hutchinson MediPharma; in a discussion on what Western companies
entering the Chinese market need to take into account, specifically in
relation to IP issues, business development, potential collaborations and
market conditions.
Dealmaking with Japanese Companies:
Japan is in a critical situation with sales figures of several major
products about to drop dramatically. Such circumstances have made it crucial
for Japanese pharmaceutical companies to seek licensing and M&A
opportunities outside of Japan. Dr. Richard Hammel, International Business
Consultants, will lead an expert panel on what to expect when partnering
with Japanese companies.
U.S. Patent Law in Flux – Can Dealmakers Adjust?:
Patents are key assets of biotech start-ups seeking partnering deals and
their sustainable strength determines the value of a deal for both sides.
Moderated by Sven Riethmueller, Foley & Lardner; and featuring Dr. Rouget
Henschel, Foley & Lardner; and Stephen S. Yoder, MorphoSys; this panel will
focus on potential strategies for navigating converging IP issues in the
context of dealmaking in the global life science industry.
Re-invention of the Drug Industry – Case Studies and the Implications for
Future Dealmaking:
Moderator Julie Teigland, Ernst & Young; is joined by Dr. Karsten Henco,
Neurimmune; Dr. Edwin Moses, Ablynx; Dr. Holger Reithinger, Global Life
Science Ventures; and Dr. Klaus Wilgenbus, Boehringer Ingelheim; to examine
which deals and business models help successful biopharmaceutical companies
evolve into successful future dealmakers.
The Early Stage Company – Preparing for Success:
This session will provide insight into developing a sound business and legal
strategy to make a company attractive for future deals and investment.
Moderator Diane Romza-Kutz, Neal, Gerber & Eisenberg; and panelists Steve
Damon, Altea Therapeutics; Tim Edwards, Cellzome; and Dr. Peter Johann, NGN
Capital; will discuss how companies can design, implement and fund growth
strategies.
Early Stage Dealmaking – How to Build Value Instead of Giving it Away:
In the current financial environment it is even more tempting for biotechs
to strike deals early. Dr. Neill Moray Mackenzie, Roji; Guido Lanza,
Numerate; and Dr. Sarah Holland, Roche; will participate in an expert panel
confronting the pros and cons of the different strategic imperatives for
biotech and pharma in striking a deal.
What Buyers Want – Understanding What Big Pharma Expects to See in
Out-Licensing Documents:
Moderated by Ben Bonifant, Campbell Alliance; and featuring Lubor Gaal,
Bristol-Myers Squibb; Gwen Melincoff, Shire Pharmaceuticals; and Dr. Corinne
Savill, Novartis Pharma; this session provides a comprehensive cost/benefit
analysis of how to gather and deliver information that is essential to a
compelling out-licensing document.
Biomarkers – Leading the Way for Personalized Medicine and Drug Development:
The commercialization of biomarkers still faces challenges on several fronts
including regulatory framework, IP ownership, value sharing and business
models. Moderated by Dr. Albine Martin, Compugen; this session will examine
the growth and integration of biomarkers into the discovery and delivery of
new medicines.
Transformative Trends in Oncology:
The complex pathogenesis of cancer and the limitations associated with and
posed by current cancer management have led to the development of various
novel approaches such as targeted immunotherapy, angiogenesis inhibitors,
signal transduction inhibitors, novel cytotoxics, and gene therapy.
Moderated by Gardiner Smith, SHI Link; and joined by Dr. William Levine,
Izun Pharmaceuticals; and Dr. Melinda Shockley, Medarex; this session will
discuss advances in supportive care therapy and novel therapeutic approaches
to cancer, and will aim to generate a stronger support for innovative
therapeutic approaches to cancer.
Notes to Editors:
Entry to BIO-Europe 2008 is free to the media, including full access to the
partnering system, sessions, press conferences, workshops, and pre-arranged
partnering meetings. Visit the BIO-Europe conference Web site at
http://www.ebdgroup.com/bioeurope for detailed information on this year’s
conference and online registration. When you register online, please
indicate in the comment field that you are requesting a complimentary press
registration. Please fax a copy of your press pass to complete your
complimentary media registration to fax number +49 89 23 88 756-55.
About BIO-Europe
BIO-Europe is the preeminent stand-alone partnering event for the
biotechnology industry. Delegates from all parts of the biotechnology
value-chain come to BIO-Europe to efficiently identify, engage and enter
into the strategic relationships that drive their business successfully
forward. The annual BIO-Europe partnering event draws over 2,200 industry
attendees from almost 50 countries, representing more than 1,250 companies,
for three days of high-level networking. BIO-Europe is organized by EBD
Group with the support of the Biotechnology Industry Organization and
European Biopharmaceutical Enterprises.
About EBD Group
EBD Group is the leading partnering firm for the global life science
industry. Since 1993, biotech, pharma and medical device companies have
leveraged EBD Group’s partnering conferences, technology and services to
identify business opportunities and develop strategic relationships
essential to their success.
EBD Group’s conferences are run with the support of leading corporations and
international trade associations and include:
.    BIO-Europe and BIO-Europe Spring(R), the world’s largest stand-alone
life science partnering conferences, supported by the Biotechnology Industry
Organization (BIO)
.    BioPharm America(TM), EBD Group’s North American partnering event
.    EuroMedtech(TM), EBD Group’s new partnering event for the innovative
medical technology industry
.    BioEquity Europe, the investor conference co-organized with BioCentury
Publications and BIO
EBD Group’s sophisticated Web-based partnering service, partneringONE(TM),
is used as the partnering engine at numerous third-party events around the
world. Outside of the conference format, EBD Group’s consultants provide
hands-on assistance for firms seeking to in- or out-license products and
technologies.
EBD Group has offices in the USA and Europe.
For more information please visit www.ebdgroup.com
About BIO
BIO represents more than 1,200 biotechnology companies, academic
institutions, state biotechnology centers and related organizations across
the United States and in more than 30 other nations. BIO members are
involved in the research and development of innovative healthcare,
agricultural, industrial and environmental biotechnology products. BIO also
produces the BIO International Convention, the world’s largest gathering of
the biotechnology industry, along with industry-leading investor and
partnering meetings held around the world.
Posted under Europe, Europe, Press Releases | Comments Off
CLC bio Signs Strategic Collaborative Agreement with J. Craig Venter Institute
Last Updated on Thursday, 9 October 2008 09:26 Written by admin Thursday, 9 October 2008 09:26
Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA — October 9, 2008 — CLC bio, a world leading full-service bioinformatics solution provider announced today an agreement with the J. Craig Venter Institute, a not-for profit genomic-focused research institute. The accord consists of a multi-year site license for the entire CLC bio bioinformatics suite of products. The goal is to implement CLC bio’s enterprise solution as a scientific platform across all JCVI sites. This enterprise solution will provide different research projects at JCVI with a coherent integration layer and a standardized way of developing custom software and specialized algorithms.
According to Granger Sutton, Senior Director of Informatics, “JCVI will benefit from implementing this enterprise solution, as it is a full enterprise platform that integrates, supports, and enhances workflows across different technologies and geographical sites. CLC bio’s software platform impressed our evaluators with its advanced features and intuitive, user-friendly interface.â€
“We’re proud to announce this strategic partnership with JCVI, a leader in genomic research,†says CLC bio’s North America CEO Jan Lomholdt. “This site license agreement represents another stamp of approval of CLC bio’s solutions by a globally recognized institution in the scientific community. This partnership will lead to magnificent accomplishments in the scientific arena,†Lomholdt adds.
The enterprise solution CLC bio will be implementing at JCVI contains both server structure and support for all major database formats. This ensures a smart and efficient solution for sharing centralized bioinformatics data in a client/server architecture, where the server contains one or more databases and the clients are CLC bio’s workbenches.
CLC bio’s solution is a technological gateway that efficiently accesses all data and analysis in a single platform. With CLC bio’s enterprise solution all proprietary algorithms and solutions developed at JCVI can be accessed from the same bioinformatics platform, ensuring a streamlined workflow with minimal overhead and no tedious time-wasting procedures. CLC bio’s Developer Kit will enable JCVI to build targeted plug-ins for their internal use, while allowing JCVI to interact based on the same platform with worldwide collaborators.
About CLC bio
CLC bio is a world leading bioinformatics solution provider, solely focusing on the development of bioinformatics: software, hardware, data analysis, and custom-designed bioinformatics algorithms.
CLC bio’s mission is to be among the most innovative bioinformatics companies in the 21st century. This is realized through:
Focusing on Next Generation Sequencing downstream data analysis
Development of bioinformatics software and hardware based on the latest scientific findings
User-friendly, integrated and intuitive cross-platform software solutions
Continuous focus on customer needs and superior customer service
Frequent product updates including the latest IT technologies and bioinformatics algorithms
A flexible IT architecture, enabling customers to buy or develop individualized solutions at a reasonable price
Posted under BioInformatics, Collaborations, Europe, Press Releases | Comments Off
CLC bio Partners with Illumina to Provide Next Generation Sequencing Analysis Technology
Last Updated on Thursday, 2 October 2008 06:01 Written by admin Thursday, 2 October 2008 06:01
Aarhus, Denmark — October 2, 2008 — Following an overwhelming reception of CLC Genomics Workbench 1.0, CLC bio is happy to announce the release of its next major version of their flagship product: CLC Genomics Workbench 2.0. Additionally, CLC bio has taken another important step in leading next generation sequencing data analysis by becoming an Illumina Connect partner. Illumina Connect is a bioinformatics software partnership program established by Illumina, Inc. to advance data integration and analysis.
“CLC Genomics Workbench 2.0 provides scientists using Illumina’s Genome Analyzer with advanced downstream analysis,†says Jordan Stockton, Marketing Manager for Computational Biology at Illumina. “Not only is it fast, but the new version of CLC Genomics Workbench offers alignment and assembly functionality that previously required larger investments in computer hardware. With its intuitive graphical interface, this application provides a simple desktop solution to biologists who might otherwise require the assistance of a dedicated bioinformatics professional.â€
As an Illumina Connect partner, CLC bio has access to information in the ongoing development of Next Generation Sequencing tools, ensuring that CLC bio’s solutions will be able to fully support Illumina’s tools, including new releases.
Director of Scientific Software Solutions at CLC bio, Dr. Roald Forsberg states, “This release is inspired by the great advances in human genetics that are being powered by Next Generation Sequencing technologies, like Illumina. Large scale projects like the Cancer Genome Project and the 1000 Genomes Project are creating a vast amount of data that will transform biomedical research. However, before the revolution in human genetics can be fully realized by the research community there is a dramatic need for bioinformatics solutions that will allow biomedical researchers to handle and analyze sequencing projects at the human genomics scale – something we aim to solve with this and upcoming releases.â€
CLC Genomics Workbench 2.0 will include several prominent new features, among these:
A new and extremely fast algorithm for the assembly of short reads
Lowering of the memory requirements that makes it feasible to perform reference assembly against all human chromosomes on a standard computer
Easy masking of genomic regions such as repeat or coding regions to lower the genomic complexity and facilitate the fast mapping of CHiP-seq data or exon captured data
Easy combination of data across platforms and experimental protocols so that e.g. single read and paired ends data are easily combined into one analysis
CLC Genomics Workbench is the first and only comprehensive analysis package which can analyze and visualize data from all major NGS platforms, such as Illumina’s Genome Analyzer, SOLiD by Applied Biosystems, 454 GS flx by Roche, and HeliScope by Helicos. CLC Genomics Workbench is platform independent, running on Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux – including 64bit versions.
To read more about CLC Genomics Workbench go to: www.clcbio.com/genomics
About CLC bio
CLC bio is a world leading bioinformatics solution provider, solely focusing on the development of bioinformatics: software, hardware, data analysis, and custom-designed bioinformatics algorithms.
CLC bio’s mission is to be among the most innovative bioinformatics companies in the 21st century. This is realized through:
Focusing on Next Generation Sequencing downstream data analysis
Development of bioinformatics software and hardware based on the latest scientific findings
User-friendly, integrated and intuitive cross-platform software solutions
Continuous focus on customer needs and superior customer service
Frequent product updates including the latest IT technologies and bioinformatics algorithms
A flexible IT architecture, enabling customers to buy or develop individualized solutions at a reasonable price
Posted under BioInformatics, Collaborations, Europe, Genomics & Pharmacogenomics, Press Releases | Comments Off
InhibOx and the National Foundation for Cancer Research Announce Launch of DrugFinder
Last Updated on Wednesday, 1 October 2008 03:52 Written by Fred Wednesday, 1 October 2008 03:52
Posted under Business and Investment, Europe, Press Releases, R & D | Comments Off
Sanofi-aventis signs a collaboration agreement with RainDance Technologies and Louis Pasteur Univers
Last Updated on Wednesday, 1 October 2008 03:48 Written by Fred Wednesday, 1 October 2008 03:48
The FINANCIAL — Sanofi-aventis announced on September 26 the launch of the dScreen Consortium, a research initiative conducted with RainDance Technologies, Inc., Lexington, Massachusetts, and Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg, France, to develop the next generation of High-Throughput Screening (HTS) for drug discovery applications.
The consortium was founded with the assistance of the Alsace BioValleyTM Cluster, France, which helped secure financing and support for the program.
The dScreen Consortium assembles:
- the renowned drug screening expertise of sanofi-aventis
- the unique expertise in droplet-based microreactors of the Chemical Biology Laboratory at the Institute for Science and Supramolecular Engineering (ISIS) of Louis Pasteur University
- and RainDance Technologies’ unique capabilities to apply droplet-based microfluidic technologies to human health and disease research.
“We are delighted to enter this partnership with two highly innovative research groups in this rapidly advancing field,” said Martin Galvan Ph.D., Scientific Director at the sanofi-aventis research site in Strasbourg. “The expected gains in terms of productivity and knowledge should significantly accelerate our drug discovery programsâ€.
Based in the Alsace BioValley in Strasbourg, the consortium will utilize the pico-liter volumes and ultra-high speed capabilities of RainDance’s technology and systems to achieve breakthrough performance in high-throughput drug screening methodologies.
“This exciting project represents the first research collaboration undertaken by our new RainDance Technologies France SARL subsidiary,†said Chris McNary, President and Chief Executive Officer of RainDance Technologies. “The speed, simplicity, and minute volume of our droplets eliminate the need for unnecessarily complex automation solutions in high-throughput screening. Our technology will process 10 million droplets per hour on a single benchtop instrument, dramatically accelerating the drug discovery process while conserving precious screening compounds,†added McNary.
“This project is an excellent opportunity to develop the compartmentalisation of reactions in emulsion droplets for an entirely new field of application: HTS for drug discovery” said Andrew Griffiths, head of the Chemical Biology Laboratory at ISIS. â€University Louis Pasteur is proud to be part of this consortium which will open new scientific routes while generating top scientific lectures to our students†said Jean-Marc Jeltsch, Vice-President, Louis Pasteur University.
“The dScreen Consortium is a great illustration of the “Pôle de Compétitivité†policy in France: the development of breakthrough innovations in drug screening through collaborative R&D programs results in strengthening local actors such as the sanofi-aventis research site and in the creation of a subsidiary of an US company in Alsace. Furthermore, the establishment of a drug screening services platform based on the results of the program will reinforce the capabilities of our cluster†underlined Pascal Neuville, President of Alsace BioValley.
Posted under Collaborations, HT Screening, North America, Press Releases | Comments Off
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