Bio Screening Industry News

Carlsbad, Calif., and Beltsville, Md., May 7, 2008 – In research demonstrating that RNA previously thought to have no biological relevance may be of use for therapeutic and diagnostic targets, Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN), a provider of essential life science technologies for research, production and diagnostics, and BioServe, the leading provider of clinically annotated tissue samples and provider of molecular marker research services, today announced that their technologies identified noncoding RNAs that were differentially expressed in healthy and diseased tissue. These micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) sequences were either up or down-regulated between matched samples of RNA isolated from healthy colon and colorectal cancer tissues.  Data was presented in a poster at the annual meeting for the American Association for Cancer Research.

Invitrogen researchers used RNA samples from BioServe’s OncoRNA (http://www.bioserve.com/products/oncoRNA.cfm) product line, a series of RNAs isolated from fresh-frozen, fully annotated tumor and adjacent normal tissues, to probe the Ncode(TM) Human miRNA microarray V3.  Ncode(TM) Profiler software identified miRNAs that were either up- or down-regulated in tumor versus healthy tissue, and researchers used quantitative PCR to validate the findings.

“Using the high quality RNA samples from BioServe, we were able to identify novel microRNA sequences that could potentially be involved in the generation of new tumor tissues, particularly in colorectal cancer,” said Chris Adams, research and development leader of Epigenetics at Invitrogen.  “If more stringently validated, these disease-related microRNAs may eventually serve as targets for diagnostic or therapeutic development.”

MicroRNAs are short RNA sequences that do not code for specific proteins but are extremely important in the regulation of gene expression; they are implicated in several disease states including cancer and heart disease.  Among the activity of miRNAs is the triggering of messenger RNA (mRNA) degradation and the inhibition of protein translation – the process of assembling amino acids into proteins based on the instructions contained in mRNA sequences.  Invitrogen’s Ncode(TM) Human miRNA microarray V3 consists of miRNA content from multiple sources, including the Sanger 10.0 miRNA database and novel miRNAs unavailable in public databases, giving users access to strong content for identification and study of miRNAs.

“MicroRNA is making headlines in drug discovery for its ability to fine tune the activity of genes and its part in the formation of cancer,” said Kevin Krenitsky, chief executive officer, BioServe. “This makes it all the more critical that researchers can be certain they are working with stable, highly annotated samples collected under rigorous ethical and scientific protocols. We created OncoRNA to respond to this need, providing bench-ready RNA for tomorrow’s discoveries.”

About BioServe

BioServe is a leader in the processing, development, and validation of diagnostic tests for the practice of personalized, predictive and preventive medicine. Leading pharma, biotech and diagnostic firms collaborate with BioServe to identify and validate markers that cause disease while correlating clinical and molecular data to develop new diagnostic tests promoting wellness around the world. BioServe offers the Global Repository(R), a growing library of over 600,000 human DNA, tissue and serum samples linked to detailed clinical and demographic data from 140,000 consented and anonymized patients from four continents. Leveraging BioServe’s robust genomic analytical services, technology, Global Repository and CLIA-certified laboratory, collaborators gain a complete, highly efficient platform for processing diagnostic test results and identifying genomic markers for powerful new assays. BioServe has headquarters in Beltsville, MD and Hyderabad, India. For more information please visit www.bioserve.com or call 301-470-3362.

About Invitrogen

Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN) provides products and services that support academic and government research institutions and pharmaceutical and biotech companies worldwide in their efforts to improve the human condition. The company provides essential life science technologies for disease research, drug discovery, and commercial bioproduction. Invitrogen’s own research and development efforts are focused on breakthrough innovation in all major areas of biological discovery including functional genomics, proteomics, stem cells, cell therapy and cell biology — placing Invitrogen’s products in nearly every major laboratory in the world. Founded in 1987, Invitrogen is headquartered in Carlsbad, California, and conducts business in more than 70 countries around the world. The company employs approximately 4,700 scientists and other professionals and had revenues of approximately $1.3 billion in 2007. For more information, visit www.invitrogen.com.

Rockville, MD, April 23, 2008: Seegene today announced that its Seeplex(R) multi-pathogen tests are now optimized for Lab 901’s ScreenTape(R)  and Caliper LifeSciences’ LC90(R)  automated detection systems. Compatibility with these two leading detection systems opens the way for Seeplex tests to be used throughout a wide spectrum of labs, from small to mid-sized labs to large commercial reference labs.

Seeplex tests are based on a breakthrough multiplexing PCR technology capable of detecting multiple pathogens in a single tube. Seeplex-based tests deliver maximum specificity, reproducibility and sensitivity and can be applied to a broad range of molecular diagnostics, including human, animal, plant and microorganism. Currently, Seegene’s Seeplex multi-pathogen detection tests offer labs worldwide simple, cost-effective and comprehensive screening for STDs, respiratory viruses, human papillomaviruses, sepsis and pneumonia.

“Our broad portfolio of multi-pathogen detection tests being optimized for ScreenTape and the Caliper LC90 systems will make it easier for clinical and research labs of all sizes to take advantage of our technology,” said Dr. Jong-Yoon Chun, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Seegene. “Both the Lab901 and Caliper LifeSciences systems represent the cutting edge of automated detection. Working in combination with these leading systems provides a powerful high-throughput method for analyzing test results.”

The ScreenTape system is the first fully automated, walk-away solution for gel electrophoresis. ScreenTape will automate the simultaneous analysis of eight or sixteen Seeplex PCR samples. Processing speed for 8 samples is completed within 10 minutes;  16 samples within 15 minutes. ScreenTape displays results using easy to interpret color codes. The ScreenTape system comprises the TapeStation (that carries out liquid handling, electrophoresis and imaging), ScreenTape (a consumable that contains the pre-cast, pre-packaged gel and running buffer) and bespoke software. With no gel or buffer preparation and no system priming, even untrained operators can rapidly generate accurate and reproducible test data.

The LabChip 90 System performs fast, automated, 1-D electrophoretic separations of protein, DNA, and RNA samples directly from a 96 or 384 well plate. The LC90 can load and read 96 Seeplex samples within 45 minutes or 384 Seeplex samples in 4 hours in easy-to-interpret reports.

Seegene is currently working to optimize Seeplex tests for other automated capillary electrophoresis systems. Seeplex’s compatibility with a wide range of automated detection systems will provide end-users with the flexibility to use the platform best suited for their purposes.

About Seeplex(R) System: Frontier of Multi-pathogen Detection

Seeplex(R) is a breakthrough multiplexing PCR technology that enables a new standard in simultaneous multi-pathogen detection. Seeplex works in combination with automatic detection systems such as Capillary Electrophoresis and delivers a benchmark in testing accuracy, efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

About Seegene

Seegene, Inc. is pioneering the field of multi-pathogen testing. Seegene applies its novel and proprietary Seeplex system utilizing “DPO (Dual Priming Oligo)” and “ACP (Annealing Control Primer)” to create multi-pathogen tests delivering maximum specificity, reproducibility and sensitivity. With over 260 citations and several patents and patents pending, Seegene has been offering advanced molecular diagnostics services to over 1,000 major global institutes in more than 25 countries. Seegene is actively working with both the scientific and OEM business community. Seegene’s mission is to integrate Seeplex with disease diagnostics to provide a new guideline for effectively treating patients. Seegene was founded in 2000 and is based in Rockville, MD and Seoul, Korea. For more information please visit www.seegene.com.

Aarhus, Denmark — December 14th, 2007 — CLC bio, the world’s leading bioinformatics solution provider, today announced the release of version 2.0 of CLC RNA Workbench. Among a wide variety of new features, this new release brings user-friendly versions of partition function calculation for RNA secondary structure and minimum energy free scanning - functions previously only available through highly advanced scripting, are now available through a graphical interface for everyone working with RNA research.

Peter Johannes Steffensen, PhD in Mathematics and algorithm expert at CLC bio, states,
‘We have developed our own minimum free energy algorithm and graphical interface to scan for local structure content - a world’s first! This feature is ideal for full genome scans of viruses, or for scanning mRNA for the presence of structural signals. For scientists working with RNA biology this is a very smooth and fast feature for computing significant local RNA structures based on minimum free energy calculation.

Dr. Roald Forsberg, Senior Scientific Officer at CLC bio, continues,
‘Today RNA biology is becoming important in all areas of biomedical research. We are now introducing a graphical interface to view different applications of partition function calculations for RNA secondary structure - another world’s first. With a few clicks of the mouse, scientists are now able to determine the probability for RNA structure elements like base pairs and unpaired regions. This is extremely useful for researchers who design molecules for RNA interference, and need to statistically test complex structure hypotheses.

By introducing a smooth and graphical approach to these functions, CLC bio helps accelerate viral biology research and reaffirms CLC RNA Workbench’s position in the market as the only integrated and professional solution which can help RNA researchers to a considerably more efficient workflow, and thereby save precious time in the research phases. Furthermore, researchers will get higher quality results, due to easy and user-friendly access to the cutting edge algorithms included in CLC RNA Workbench.

CLC bio offers a free 30-day trial of CLC RNA Workbench which can be downloaded from:
www.clcbio.com/rna

About CLC bio
CLC bio is the world’s leading full-service bioinformatics solution provider, solely focusing on the development of bioinformatics: software, hardware, data analysis, and custom-designed bioinformatics algorithms. CLC bio is an Apple solution provider and value added reseller.

CLC bio’s mission is to be among the most innovative bioinformatics companies in the 21st century. This is realized through:

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

ST. LOUIS, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Sigma-Aldrich announced today the global release of the N-TER(TM) Nanoparticle siRNA Transfection System. N-TER allows researchers to reproducibly interrogate gene function, via siRNA transfection, in model cell types that have previously not been considered amenable to conventional lipid-based siRNA delivery reagents.

“Traditional lipid-based siRNA transfection reagents exhibit a number of drawbacks, including high cell death rates and a limited ability to deliver siRNA into a variety of cell types, such as primary, neuronal, differentiated, and nondividing cells,” said Tim Fleming, Director of Global Commercial Marketing at Sigma-Aldrich. “Our goal is to introduce a reagent into the scientific community that effectively bypasses these historic limitations and enables siRNA transfection to be performed in a wider variety of model systems.”

The N-TER Nanoparticle siRNA Transfection System circumvents the limitations of lipid-based transfection reagents by relying on a stable nanoparticle, formed by the blending of siRNA and the N-TER peptide, to quickly enter into the cell’s cytoplasm to deliver its siRNA cargo.

In addition, due to the reagent’s stability, stocks of N-TER/siRNA Nanoparticles can be stored for long periods of time and used for subsequent transfections, increasing standardization and reproducibility in all transfection experiments targeting the same gene.

“Our research on the functions of West Nile Virus proteins involves looking at gene function in a number of different cell types,” said Dr. Tom C. Hobman, Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Alberta. “We tested a number of siRNA delivery reagents before using N-TER. Once we tried N-TER, we were very impressed with its ability to reproducibly deliver siRNA into our cell types of interest, with minimal cellular toxicity.”

For more information on the N-TER Nanoparticle siRNA Transfection System and to see the list of cell types in which N-TER has been proven to work, please visit http://www.sigma.com/nter.

About Sigma-Aldrich: Sigma-Aldrich is a leading Life Science and High Technology company. Our biochemical and organic chemical products and kits are used in scientific and genomic research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease and as key components in pharmaceutical and other high technology manufacturing. We have customers in life science companies, university and government institutions, hospitals, and in industry. Over one million scientists and technologists use its products. Sigma-Aldrich operates in 36 countries and has 7,700 employees providing excellent service worldwide. We are committed to Accelerating Customer Success through Leadership in Life Science, High Technology and Service. For more information about Sigma-Aldrich, please visit our award-winning Web site at http://www.sigma-aldrich.com.

Cautionary Statement: This release contains forward-looking statements relating to future strategic actions and initiatives and similar intentions and beliefs and other statements regarding the Company’s expectations, beliefs, intentions and the like, which involve assumptions regarding the Company’s operations and conditions in the markets the Company serves. The Company does not undertake any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

The miRNA QRT-PCR detection kit uses a proprietary miRNA primer design approach to detect mature miRNA from as little as 15 ng of input, down to 100 copies, in less than three hours. Optimized QPCR reagents provide single nucleotide discrimination within and among miRNA families. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNA molecules that are estimated to regulate at least 30% of all protein encoding genes. miRNAs have been implicated in development, differentiation, apoptosis, viral infection, and cancer. miRNAs are difficult to analyze by traditional PCR approaches due to their small size of approximately 22 nucleotides.

Manufacturer: Stratagene

11011 N. Torrey Pines Rd.
La Jolla, CA, 92037
Website: http://www.stratagene.com

Stratagene is a leader in developing, marketing and manufacturing innovative life science consumables, instrumentation, and diagnostic products for a variety of human medical conditions. The company’s life science research operations support advances in science by inventing, manufacturing and distributing products that simplify, accelerate and improve research. These products are used throughout the academic, industrial, and government research sectors in fields spanning molecular biology, genomics, proteomics, drug discovery and toxicology. The company’s diagnostic operations develop and manufacture products include high-quality automated instrument and reagent systems that use blood samples to test for more than 1,000 different allergies and autoimmune disorders and urinalysis controls. More information is available at www.stratagene.com

Last year’s RNAi Europe, held in Prague, was a great success. The attendees (200+) were very pleased with the standard of the lectures and the networking facilities offered by the adjacent exhibition (28 exhibits – 47 scientific posters).

“The RNAi Europe 2006 conference was even better than the 2005 conference. Scientific content was excellent, attendance was high, and there was a great sense of vitality and excitement.” said Mark Belke, IDT DNA.
Jens Kurreck also declared last year: “It was a highly interesting meeting with a number of excellent talks; a great opportunity to meet other researchers in the field and discuss possible interactions and the conference was very well organised.”

Encouraged by such an enthusiastic feedback from the attendees, Select Biosciences is proud to announce their 4th annual RNAi Europe, to be held on September 20-21 in Barcelona. In addition, responding to public demand, a microRNA Symposium is organised this year on the day prior to the event.

The following distinguished speakers have already confirmed their participation for the overall event:

• Reuven Agami, Associated Professor, Netherlands Cancer Institute
• George Calin, MD Anderson Cancer Centre, University of Texas
• Anastasia Khvorova, Chief Scientific Officer Dharmacon Products, Thermo Fisher Scientific
• Jens Kurreck, Group Leader, Berlin Free University
• Judy Lieberman, Senior Investigator, Harvard Medical School
• Eric Miska, Senior Fellow, Wellcome Trust/Cancer Research UK
• Minoo Rassoulzadegan, Director, Inserm
• Dmitry Samarsky, Vice President, Technology Development, RXi Pharmaceuticals

The respective agendas, both available online, will develop the following topics:

microRNA Symposium

• Biology of microRNA
• microRNAs in Cancer

RNAi Europe

• RNA Technologies
• Emerging Themes in RNAi
• RNAi-Based Therapeutics

In order to ensure a cost-effective trip, delegates can register to both meetings and will have access to the exhibition, and also can opt to attend a parallel business tutorial: RNAi and microRNA: Market Landscape and Emerging Opportunities, to be held on September 21, in the afternoon.

Finally Select Biosciences has negotiated special rates with the Hesperia Hotel, the conference venue, for all their attendees.

Details available from RNAiEurope.com as well as early, combo and group registration deals.

Selected media partnerships are available for this event.

24 July 2007

We believe the accompanying press release may be of interest to your readers, but first, here is a brief introduction to GENE TOOLS.

GENE TOOLS, LLC is a biotech company that makes custom-sequence Morpholino oligos for biological and medical research.  GENE TOOLS, founded in 1997, is a spinoff of AVI Biopharma Inc. focused on research and diagnostic applications of Morpholino technology.  Morpholinos from Gene Tools have been commercially available since 2000 and there are over 1700 publications in the research literature using Morpholinos (pubs.gene-tools.com).

Our primary products, Morpholino antisense oligos, are synthetic molecules.
A specific Morpholino blocks the activity of a selected gene.  The sequence in which the subunits of the Morpholino are linked determines which gene will be blocked.  At GENE TOOLS we custom-synthesize each Morpholino in the appropriate sequence to shut down the activity of the customer’s gene of interest.  We usually synthesize over 200 of these Morpholinos each week.

GENE TOOLS’ customers are scientists at universities, research institutes and pharmaceutical companies.  Morpholino oligos are used by:
.    developmental biologists studying embryo development by injecting
Morpholinos into eggs or zygotes of zebrafish, frog, ascidians, sea urchins or other organisms;
.    cell biologists determining the function of newly sequenced genes;
and
.    medical researchers studying cellular mechanisms underlying cancer
and
other diseases.

For more information on Morpholino oligos, see the Gene Tools website
(www.gene-tools.com) and the Wikipedia Morpholino article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpholino).

Let me know how I can help.

Regards,

- Jon

Jon D. Moulton, Ph.D.
Diagnostics and Special Projects
GENE TOOLS, LLC
jmoulton@gene-tools.com

PRESS RELEASE

MicroRNA Knockdowns with Morpholinos

Gene Tools announces a new paper describing techniques for miRNA activity knockdown, maturation knockdown and specificity controls using Morpholino oligos.

MicroRNAs regulate the expression of genes, often large groups of genes.
They are important in embryonic development, in cardiac function, in carcinogenesis and in many other processes.  The recent discovery of miRNAs has altered our understanding of gene regulation, with many new
reports of miRNA activity appearing in the literature.   Experimental
manipulation of miRNA activity will become a standard tool of molecular biologists, but currently these techniques are in development and still improving.

MicroRNAs mature through several steps.  A primary miRNA is transcribed from DNA and folds into a stem-loop.  The stem-loop is cleaved from the rest of the transcript by the nucleolytic enzyme Drosha, then the loop is cleaved from the stem by the nucleolytic enzyme Dicer.  The double stranded stem interacts with the protein Argonaute, which cleaves and releases one of the strands, forming the miRISC complex with the other strand, now called the guide strand.  It is the miRISC complex which interacts with mRNAs, altering their expression.

Knockdowns of miRNA activity have generally used oligos targeting the miRNA guide strand.  A Morpholino oligo targeting an miRNA guide strand can interfere with the activity of the miRNA.  It is difficult to control for the specificity of the knockdown when using this technique alone.  However, Morpholinos targeting the nucleolytic processing sites of an immature miRNA can prevent maturation of the miRNA.  This allows sets of nonoverlapping Morpholino oligos targeting a primary miRNA to be used as specificity controls; if two non-overlapping oligos targeting the same miRNA produce the same phenotype, this supports the hypothesis that the phenotype is due to knocking down the activity of the targeted miRNA and not due to an off-target effect.  These techniques are explored in the following paper:

Kloosterman WP, Lagendijk AK, Ketting RF, Moulton JD, Plasterk RHA.
Targeted inhibition of miRNA maturation with morpholinos reveals a role for
miR-375 in  pancreatic islet development. PLoS Biol. 2007;5(8): e203.