Company Announcements

Streck announced in December 2018 a distribution agreement with Farmalatina for Chile.

Gene-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In December 2018, Twist Biosciences updated its legal proceedings with Agilent Technologies (see IBO 2/15/16), including a trial date scheduled for February 2020. The Court denied Agilent’s motion for a protective order, which sought to limit the discovery that Twist and CEO Emily Leproust, PhD, could seek in the case. In addition, the Court granted Agilent’s motion for leave to amend its complaint, which, according to Twist, did not address the merits of any of the new allegations or claims that Agilent seeks to add to the case.

Biotech firm genOway acquired in December 2018 exclusive rights to Merck KGaA’s foundational genome editing patents to produce and sell rodent models. genOway will also develop a network of sublicensees in both the model creation and distribution businesses, and preclinical services for all potential applications.

In December 2018, ERS Genomics and Lonza Pharma & Biotech announced a license agreement to provide Lonza with access to ERS Genomics’ CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing technology patents. Lonza will have the ability to utilize CRISPR/Cas9 in its bioproduction products and services, and also for use in iPSC for research applications.

In December 2018, Horizon Discovery entered an exclusive partnership with drug discovery firm C4X Discovery Holdings to validate targets and develop next generation oncology drugs. C4XD will fund the work plan, and should C4XD discover preclinical drug candidates, it intends to out-license them to clinical development partners, with Horizon receiving an undisclosed share of revenue received by C4XD.

Horizon Discovery pre-announced in January its 2018 financial results, stating that revenues rose 60.8%, 66% in constant currency, to £58.7 million ($78.3 million). Organic revenues rose 9.5%, 12% in constant currency, to £30.1 million ($40.1 million). Research product revenue grew 148.4% to £31.3 million ($41.7 million), as Dharmacon revenue totaled £28.7 million ($38.3 million). Applied product revenue rose 47.1% to £15.0 million ($20.0 million). Services revenue declined 21.2% to £10.8 million ($14.4 million).

In January, Horizon Discovery entered into an exclusive strategic partnership with Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, to develop and commercialize a novel gene editing technology, known as base editing. The technology potentially has applications in the development of new cell therapies, and will augment Horizon’s research tools and services. Horizon Discovery made a nonmaterial payment to Rutgers for an option to exclusively license the base editing technology for use in all therapeutic applications. Horizon Discovery will also fund further research in base editing at Rutgers University while undertaking evaluation and proof-of-concept studies.

In January, Horizon Discovery appointed Jayesh Pankhania as CFO and a Board member, succeeding Richard Vallacott. Mr. Pankhania previously served as interim CFO of the company and CFO of Xtera.

In January, Horizon Discovery extended its CRISPR Screening Service to include ex vivo T lymphocytes.

Gene editing technology firm Inscripta announced in December 2018 a new $30 million investment from existing funders, bringing the total raised to $85.5 million.

In January, Promega announced that its latest PCR-based microsatellite instability (MSI) technology was granted innovation designation by the Chinese National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). With innovation status, the path to become classified as an IVD will gain elevated efficiency by having a program coordinator assigned from NMPA and priority status for multiple processes. In the US, Promega intends to seek FDA approval for IVD status of the MSI 1.2 platform.

Promega signed in January a license agreement with the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard to sell tools and reagents for CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing. Under the agreement, Promega will combine CRISPR-Cas9 technology with its products that knock-in Promega genetic reporters.

GreenLight Biosciences, a bio-performance company developing RNA-based solutions for agriculture and pharmaceutical applications, announced in January a $50 million first closing of its latest funding round, led by S2G Ventures, Baird Capital and Blue I/O.

Product Introductions

In December 2018, Illumina released the Infinium Global Diversity Array, a high-density genotyping array developed for and inspired by the All of Us Research Program. Illumina will provide the Array to process up to one million samples to the three genome centers awarded All of US funding, which will also be provided with Illumina’s NovaSeq Sequencing Platform.

Cell-based Analysis

Company Announcement

Emulate announced in December that it has received a $2 million research grant from the NIH’s National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences to use its Intestine-Chip to conduct experiments that will provide insights into the function of the intestinal barrier and its response to bacterial invasion in microgravity. Experiments will be conducted on the International Space Station and on earth.

Under a partnership announced In December 2018, Path BioAnalytics will produce and test 3D cystic fibrosis organoid models from primary human bronchial and nasal epithelial cells using InSphero’s 3D cell-based technology.

In January, Irvine Scientific changed its US name to FUJIFILM Irvine Scientific.

Product Introductions

Polyplus-transfection introduced in November 2018 jetOPTIMUS, new reagents for nanoparticle DNA transfection. It is designed to be primarily used for research purposes across academic research in mammalian cells, especially hard-to-transfect cells.

In December 2018, INDIGO Biosciences released Expression Profiling of Clinically Relevant CYPs Utilizing upcyte Hepatocytes, a gene expression assay kit featuring human donor-derived hepatocytes.

In January, FUJIFILM Cellular Dynamics launched the iCell Microglia iPSCs. To develop iCell Microglia, FUJIFILM entered into an exclusive patent license agreement with the University of California, Irvine.

iSpecimen introduced in January fresh primary hematopoietic cells from bone marrow and peripheral (circulating) blood to its iSpecimen Marketplace.

In January, STEMCELL Technologies released mTeSR Plus, an enhanced version of mTeSR1 feeder-free hPSC-maintenance medium, featuring stabilization enhancements.

Protein-based Analysis

Company Announcements

In December 2018, antibody provider Proteintech and BenchSci partnered. BenchSci will use machine learning to identify published data for Proteintech’s catalog in open- and closed-access datasets, display related published figures and allow researchers to search by experimental variables.

Active Motif partnered with Benchsci in January. Using machine learning, BenchSci will identify published data for Active Motif’s products in open- and closed-access datasets, display published and vendor-provided validation figures, and allow researchers to search using experimental variables.

Qlucore partnered with Cambridge Protein Arrays in December 2018, combining their respective protein arrays and Qlucore Omics Explorer software.

In December 2018, Abcam named Giles Kerr to its Board. He previously served as finance director of Oxford University.

Abcam pre-announced in January first-half sales ending December 31, 2018, increased 11%, or 10% in constant currency. Antibody, Immunoassay and Customer Engagement: Transactional NPS sales rose 20%, 27% and 64%, respectively. Catalogue sales grew 11%, or 10% in constant currency, while Custom Products and Licensing sales grew 5%, or 2% in constant currency, to make up 6% of total revenues.

Abcam announced in January a research collaboration with Loulou Foundation, a private UK-based foundation dedicated to the development of therapeutics for CDKL5 Deficiency Disorder. Loulou Foundation will work closely with Abcam to generate novel rabbit monoclonal antibody reagents for detection of CDKL5 and its downstream kinase phosphorylation targets.

deCODE genetics, an Amgen subsidiary, and SomaLogic announced in December 2018 the combination of deCODE’s data sets with SomaLogic’s leading protein measurement capabilities. SomaLogic will analyze up to 40,000 deCODE samples with the its SOMAscan assay.

In January, AYOXXA Biosystems signed a research agreement with one of the leading pharmaceutical companies for the development of a series of low-volume, high-sensitivity multiplex protein assays intended to validate protein biomarkers in the field of ophthalmology.

In January, Expedeon signed a supply and license agreement with Cell Guidance Systems, a developer of therapeutic products for medicine and life science research, for use of its Lightning-Link Rapid Biotin technology in the development and production of a TRIFic (Time Resolved Immunofluorescence Exosome Detection Assay) immunoassay.

Product Introductions

In December 2018, Bio-Techne introduced the Tocris Bioscience–branded Y27632 (ROCK inhibitor) and CHIR 99021 stem cell compounds.

In January, Bio-Techne announced the launch of its cell and gene therapy portfolio, which includes GMP cytokines and growth factors, GMP small molecules, GMP media, and high-quality antibodies for flow cytometry and immunocytochemical characterization.

Hypha Discovery released in January the PolyCYPs kit, a scalable, easy-to-use oxidative catalytic technology. The platform enables the synthesis of CYP P450–derived human and other mammalian metabolites, as well as novel hydroxylated derivatives.