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Gene Bridges Licenses Recombineering Technology to Chugai Pharmaceutical
Co., Ltd.
Heidelberg, Germany; May 26, 2009- Gene Bridges GmbH, the
recombineering company, today announced that Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. of
Tokyo, Japan has completed the amendment to expand the commercial license
agreement existing since 2005 for the use of the Red/ET recombination technology
from Gene Bridges.
The Red/ET recombination technology, patented in Japan under the title "Novel
DNA Cloning Method“, is a valued method for generating targeting vectors or
modifying E. coli chromosomes.
“Red/ET is fast becoming the standard DNA engineering technology used in
industry and academia worldwide,” commented Gary Stevens, CEO of Gene Bridges
GmbH. “Having recently also licensed Red/ET to Daiichi Sankyo and Takeda we are
delighted to be signing this amendment to another leading Japanese
Pharmaceutical company, which found the existing license agreement worthwhile
expanding.”
Red/ET is a revolutionary method for DNA engineering. Recombineering with Red/ET
allows cloning, subcloning, and modification of DNA at any chosen position. It
permits precise engineering of DNA molecules of any size, including very large
ones such as BACs or the E.coli chromosome. Recombineering DNA using Red/ET has
a number of advantages over conventional methods:
- Independent of restriction sites
- No size limits
- No unwanted mutations
- Rapid
Red/ET Recombineering is one simple and powerful tool to modify plasmids,
BACs, and even E.coli chromosomes. Gene Bridges is represented in Japan by the
distribution partner Funakoshi.
About Gene Bridges GmbH
Gene Bridges GmbH is a self-financed biotech company pioneering
recombineering, the fast and precise method of engineering gene sequences. The
Company was founded in 2000 as spin-off from the European Molecular Biology
Laboratory (EMBL) in Heidelberg, Germany. Gene Bridges commercialises its
patented recombineering technology through services, commercial licenses and
kits from its facilities in Heidelberg as well as through its distributors
worldwide. Further information can be found by visiting
www.genebridges.com
About Chugai Pharmaceutical
Chugai Pharmaceutical, specialized in prescription pharmaceuticals and based
in Tokyo, is one of Japan's leading research-based pharmaceutical companies with
strengths in biotechnology products. Since the start of its strategic alliance
with Roche in October 2002, Chugai has been actively involved in prescription
pharmaceutical R&D activities in Japan and abroad as an important member of the
Roche Group. Specifically, Chugai is working to develop innovative products with
global applications, focusing on the disease areas of oncology, renal disease,
and bone and joint. In Japan, Chugai's research facilities in Gotemba and
Kamakura are collaborating to develop new pharmaceuticals and Ukima is
conducting research for technology development for industrial production.
Overseas, Chugai Pharma USA and Chugai Pharma Europe are engaged in clinical
development activities in the United States and Europe. The consolidated sales
in 2008 of Chugai totalled 326.9 billion yen and the operating profit was 51.6
billion yen. The company is aiming to achieve consolidated sales of 460 billion
yen and operating profit of 80 billion yen in 2012, as stated in its new
mid-term business plan "Sunris2012".
Further Information:
Gary Stevens
CEO
Gene Bridges GmbH
t: +49 (0)6221-13708 10
e: gary.stevens@genebridges.com
Douglas Pretsell
Senior Account Director
College Hill Life Sciences
t : +49 (0)89 57 00 18 06
e: douglas.pretsell@collegehill.com
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