Biodegradable transfection reagents now available through distribution

BLACKSBURG, Va. & SAN DIEGO – Techulon Inc., an early stage life sciences company has signed an agreement with Nacalai USA, Inc. and its parent company Nacalai Tesque, Inc. for distribution of its Glycofect Transfection Reagent platform products in Japan. Glycofect is a polymeric transfection reagent designed to be particularly effective in primary cells of therapeutic interest. It is being used by government, university and corporate laboratories around the world for advanced research towards better understanding of cell biology and for development of new cell-based therapeutics. The Glycofect family of reagents has a unique biodegradable composition that provides for efficacious delivery with very low toxicity in key cell types. ”We are very pleased to have Nacalai represent Techulon in Japan,” said Frank Akers, president at Techulon, “and we look forward to expanding our business in this important market.”

Nacalai Tesque is a major manufacturer and distributor of life science and chemical research reagents in Japan. Nacalai Tesque has served the Japanese scientific community for more than 160 years through direct sales to researchers in both pharmaceutical industry and academia. “We are excited about the collaboration with Techulon to provide innovative Glycofect products to scientists in Japan,” commented Jing Xu, Ph.D., Consultant of Corporate Development at Nacalai USA. “Nacalai’s partnership with Techulon demonstrates our long-term commitment and continued leadership in introducing cutting-edge technology to the Japanese scientific research community.”

About Techulon, Inc.:

Techulon, Inc. is an early stage life sciences company based in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, with a core capability in novel biodegradable and low toxicity DNA and RNA delivery reagents for cell-based research and therapeutics. For more information please visit the company website at www.techulon.com.

About Nacalai USA, Inc. and Nacalai Tesque, Inc.:

Nacalai USA, Inc. is the wholly-owned subsidiary of Nacalai Tesque, Inc., Kyoto Japan, founded in 2005 in San Diego, California to bridge between the United States and Japan in the scientific research community. Nacalai USA strives to bring the most innovative and stringently quality-controlled biochemicals and research tools from Japan into the United States market, and also to introduce United States technologies and products into the Japanese and other Asian research markets. For more information, visit www.nacalaiusa.com.

Nacalai Tesque, Inc. headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a major manufacturing and distribution company of research products. The organization was established in 1846 selling traditional Japanese and Chinese medicines, and was formally incorporated as a research reagent company in 1958. Nacalai Tesque acts as a major distribution company for foreign companies who desire to expand business into the Japanese and other Asian life science market. Nacalai Tesque maintains an extensive sales network in Japan, including 14 direct sales offices with over 120 direct sales representatives throughout Japan. For more information, visit www.nacalai.com.