NextGen
Sciences Ltd (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom) is granted a
patent for producing Protein BioChips
November 7th 2002 –NextGen
Sciences Ltd. (Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom), a company
specialising in the fast track development of new platform technologies for
protein target discovery and validation, today announced that it has been
granted its first UK patent (patent number GB 237 0039) with the title of:
“Producing Protein Arrays and Fusion Proteins for use therein.”
The
technique involves use of BioTagTM,
a unique peptide based fusion tag that can be very specifically biotinylated in-vivo
or in vitro at a single lysine residue within the BioTag sequence for
use in the production of protein biochips. This enables BioTagged fusion
proteins to be attached to streptavidin coated protein biochip substrates in a
highly predictable and orientated manner, providing significant advantages
over existing methods of attachment.
NextGen
Sciences is developing three platforms for protein target discovery and target
validation. The BioTag method of attachment to protein biochip substrates
forms part of a suite of technologies that the Company is developing in the
first of these platforms, namely their Protein Biochip technology. This also
includes new protein biochips for use in breast cancer research and the
ProteinArray WorkstationTM (developed in collaboration with, and
now marketed by, PerkinElmer Life Sciences).
“We
are delighted to have this patent granted”, stated Dr Kevin Auton, Chief
Executive Officer, NextGen Sciences Ltd and the inventor.
“This validates our strategy of inventing technologies to advance
proteomics research that are novel and can also be IP protected.”
“Not
only are we developing new technologies for use by the proteomics research
community, we are also using these technologies for our own research and
development activities.” explained Dr Linda Cammish, Director of Business
Development. “For example, we
are using BioTagged fusion proteins to produce protein biochips for use in
breast cancer research, through our collaboration with the University of
Cambridge.”
“Breast
cancer biochips, their manufacture and the automation to analyse clinical
samples using the ProteinArray Workstation are the most visible aspect of our
technology. Our third technology
platform is the expressionfactoryTM,
which combines a suite of
novel biochemical tools with a completely integrated robotics system, to
express and purify many hundreds of BioTagged fusion proteins in parallel and
with complete automation. These
expressed proteins are then used in drug discovery research as part of a High
Through-put Screen or in large-scale X-ray crystallography studies. The expressionfactoryTM
will be available under a technology access agreement in early 2003.”
BioTagä
is patented by Affymax. NextGen
Sciences has exclusive
rights
for use for production & sale of protein biochips.
For
further information, please contact
Dr
Linda Cammish (Director of Business Development)
t:
+44 (0) 1480 410 856
f :
+44 (0) 1480 410 858
e:
linda.cammish@nextgensciences.com
w :
www.nextgensciences.com
