BSI TACKLES MEMBRANE PROTEIN BOTTLENECK

June 2 2003. BSI Proteomics is a privately held drug enabling technology company dedicated to solving protein structures for the most difficult protein crystallization cases, with a strong emphasis on membrane bound proteins.  With the completion of its proprietary “Dynamic Crystallization™” platforms, BSI is successfully targeting soluble and ion channel proteins to provide unique insights and competitive scientific advantages into understanding drug delivery targets. BSI utilizes an integrated business model to include internal proprietary structure development and contract research. This approach will provide BSI with a continuous revenue stream and potential high-payoff. An ongoing agreement with The Brookhaven National Laboratory enables BSI scientists to conduct proprietary X-ray Diffraction of important compounds at the National Synchrotron Light Source.

BSI has commercial pharmaceutical contracts for three-dimensional structures of certain human ion channel proteins as well as other protein structures and services including expression, purification, cloning and ligand soaking. (Company names are protected under confidentiality agreements.) BSI has successfully crystallized and analyzed the AMA-1 malaria protein for which it is solving the structure to develop a new malaria vaccine in collaboration with Walter Reed Army Institute of Research.  BSI has partnered with the Medical Automation Research Center at the University of Virginia to determine the structure for the Dopamine D-1 and D-5 receptors which affect neurological diseases as well as the structural determination of GRK4, which also has implications in the treatment of hypertension.

BSI Proteomics has developed an innovative discovery process based on dialysis and dynamic control, for the entire equilibration process, enabling more rapid design of protein structures to enable discovery of improved drugs. The newly completed BSI flagship system, the ARD™ (Automatic Robotics Dynamic Crystallization™) possesses capabilities to simultaneously and methodically crystallize small amounts of 100 proteins under hundreds of different conditions while maintaining complete dynamic control of the entire equilibration process.  Producing an atomic resolution structure from X-ray diffraction is dependent on having the ability to routinely produce high quality protein crystals making it possible to develop and bring drugs to market more rapidly than before.

For additional information contact:

Shirley Gotner-Arnowitz, COO

BSI Proteomics Corporation, Ph: 301-990-3586