Company Announcements

Under a license from the US Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Akonni Biosystems plans to commercialize low-cost, multiplexed tests for research and IVD uses in bio-security applications. The tests are expected to be available in 2012.

In February, GE Capital, Healthcare Financial Services was the agent for and lender of $55 million in senior secured credit facilities to eBioscience, consisting of a $45 million term loan and a $10 million revolving line of credit.

In February, Sigma-Aldrich took over from BASF the global distribution of BASF’s pharmaceutical excipients in small pack sizes.

Exiqon’s

2010 revenues rose 13.7% to DKK 93.5 million ($16.6 million) (see page 12). Life Sciences sales grew 3.2% to make up 90% of sales. For 2011, the company forecasts sales of DKK 105–115 million ($19–$20 million) and breakeven EBITDA.

Irwin C. Gerson retired from Enzo Biochem’s Board.

Product Introductions

Thermo Fisher Scientific introduced the Thermo Scientific Pierce GTPase Enrichment Kit, featuring novel desthiobiotin-nucleotide probes, for profiling small GTPases and large G-protein subunits.

Affymetrix released its Anatrace brand Neopentyl Glycol Class Detergents that are based on the maltose-neopentyl amphiphile design, which promotes the crystallization of integral membrane proteins in preparation for structural and functional studies.

Clontech Laboratories launched the Tet-Express Inducible Expression System, which features a cell membrane–permeable version of the Tet-Off Advanced transcriptional activator protein that can enter cells without transfection.

Nonclinical CRO CIT will distribute Stemina Biomarker Discovery’s devTOX assay in Europe, and the companies will work to validate the test for use under the REACH initiative.

Sigma-Aldrich Sigma Life Science introduced CompoZr Oncology Disease Model cell lines, initially launching cell lines that model colorectal and lung cancer.

Sigma-Aldrich Sigma Life Science released predesigned CompoZr Knockout Zinc Finger Nucleases technology to knockout any gene in the human genome.

MO BIO Laboratories launched Dye Dots Dry Gel Loading Dye, a gel-loading dye available in dry, ready-to-use aliquots that resolubilize in seconds and are contained in a low-profile plate with 72 aliquots.

Greiner Bio-One introduced the 96-well CrystalQuick X plate, developed with the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, for X-ray structural analysis of protein crystals directly in the plate. Two flat-bottom crystallization wells per reservoir allow for testing of 192 sitting-drop samples per plate.