TUCSON, Ariz.–HTG, Inc., provider of the quantitative Nuclease Protection Assay (qNPA™) and service partner for the life sciences industry, today announced the Company’s gene expression assay technology will be showcased at the 48th Annual Meeting of the Society of Toxicology (SOT) as part of a symposium, oral presentation and poster from Invitrogen, a division of Life Technologies, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

HTG’s quantitative nuclease protection assay (qNPA™) is an automated assay that allows researchers to quickly and efficiently measure gene expression levels of mRNA and miRNA in cells, blood, saliva and tissues.

Stephen Ferguson, PhD, Senior Research Investigator for Life Technologies will describe how Invitrogen is using HTG’s qNPA technology, in conjunction with primary hepatocytes, to develop an in vitro model to monitor a variety of relevant endpoints, such as metabolic inhibition, induction, cell-signaling, transport and cellular stress. The symposium, “Cultures of Primary Hepatocytes as Predictive Models of the Liver” will be held on Monday, March 16 at 12:15 p.m. in Room 337.

Invitrogen also applied HTG’s qNPA technology to the U.S. EPA’s ToxCast™ program in an effort to characterize chemical interactions over concentration-response and time. Certain data will be presented on Tuesday, March 17 between 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. in a poster, “Novel Informatic Approaches to Analyze Gene Expression Data with the ToxCast™ 320 Chemical Library in Cultures of Primary Human Hepatocyte” and followed up by a talk on Wednesday at 3:20 p.m. in room 307 entitled “Modulation of Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzyme and Transporter Gene Expression in Primary Cultures of Human Hepatocytes by ToxCastTM Chemicals,” to be given by Daniel Rotroff from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

HTG’s qNPA technology is used to carry out quantitative, multiplexed gene-based drug discovery programs, including target validation; HTS lead optimization, metabolism, toxicology and clinical development. HTG’s platform is highly flexible and designed automation-friendly; it allows scientists to test any sample, including fixed tissues, without RNA extraction or target amplification. The technology is ideal for detecting small, yet important changes in gene expression levels which other gene expression platforms cannot reliably detect.

About HTG

Privately-held HTG is based in Tucson, Arizona. Investors in the company include Solstice Capital, Valley Ventures, Merck Capital Ventures, Village Ventures and Arcturus Capital. Additional information is available at www.htgenomics.com.