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Cambridge Research Biochemicals Acquires Rights to Novel Technology for Development of Gene and Drug Therapies

9 Sept 2013

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Cambridge Research Biochemicals (CRB), a British company specializing in custom supply of research reagents, principally peptides and antibodies for medical research and the Pharmaceutical industry, today announced that it has licensed the rights to a novel and patentable method for parallel assembly of a large number of peptide-therapeutic cargo combinations. The company aims to launch a service in October to provide both researchers and pharmaceutical companies with custom-made libraries of peptide-cargo conjugates to help accelerate the delivery and development of new therapeutics.

The method originated at the Medical Research Council’s Laboratory of Molecular Biology, where scientists have been working to develop cell-penetrating peptides capable of carrying therapeutic drug cargoes intocells. The sorts of diseases that could benefit from such peptide-delivered therapeutics are broad ranging and include muscular dystrophies, cancer and metabolic diseases. In order to develop such therapeutics, it is necessary to test a wide variety of peptide-cargo combinations to determine the optimal peptide for delivery of the drug cargo for the condition being treated. This new technology enhances the speed of the early stage drug screening process and helps those without the necessary chemistry expertise, to more rapidly prepare and test a much greater number of peptide-drug conjugates towards the delivery and development of potential novel therapeutics.

Emily Humphrys, Commercial Director at CRB said: "We are really pleased to be able to provide a long-awaited service for the selection of the most appropriate cell-penetrating peptide for delivery of drugs to both academic researchers and industry. As a company, CRB has extensive peptide chemistry capability and enjoys a longstanding relationship with the MRC-LMB both from the formation of the company in 1980 to the ongoing supply contract for peptides and antibodies in place since 2010. This collaboration marks another accolade from the partnership.”

Dr Mike Gait, the MRC scientist who has directed this work commented: "We are very excited that CRB has taken on our new method and will open it up to a wider number of researchers and to industry, ultimately enabling the development of new treatments."

The method was licensed to CRB by MRC Technology on behalf of the MRC. MRC Technology provides the MRC with technology transfer services.

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High-Throughput ScreeningHigh-throughput screening (HTS) is an automated drug discovery technique for identification of active compounds against a compound library. Use HTS readers and integrated assay preparation / analysis workstations to screen your compounds. Identify active compounds against various HTS libraries, including membranes, proteins and peptides and HTS cell lines. Find the best high-throughput screening products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Cell-Based AssaysCell-based assays are used to monitor the presence, quantity and activities of a desired cellular analyte including drug molecules or biomarkers. This can reveal information on cell health (apoptosis, cytotoxicity, viability and proliferation assays), cell metabolism, cell migration and cell signaling mechanisms. Find the best cell-based assay products, kits and equipment with our peer reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receiving pricing direct from manufacturers.TherapeuticsTherapeutics are treatments designed to alleviate or cure diseases. These include pharmaceuticals, biologics, and gene therapies, which work by targeting specific disease mechanisms. Advances in personalized medicine and biologics offer new hope for patients with conditions that were previously difficult to treat. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find therapeutic solutions for various diseases; compare products, check user reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Gene TherapyGene therapy is a technique that modifies or replaces genes within an individual's cells to treat or prevent diseases. This approach holds potential for curing genetic disorders, cancers, and certain viral infections. Advances in gene editing technologies like CRISPR are driving the growth of gene therapy. Explore gene therapy tools and technologies in our peer-reviewed product directory; compare products, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.ConjugationPeptidesPeptides are short chains of amino acids that play key roles in biological processes, including signaling, immune responses, and enzyme regulation. Peptide research is critical in drug discovery, diagnostics, and vaccine development. Browse our peer-reviewed product directory to find the best peptides and peptide-related products, compare options, check reviews, and get pricing directly from manufacturers.Cancer ResearchAlthough cancer is often referred to as a single condition, it actually consists of more than 100 different diseases. Microscopy, mass spectrometry, high throughput sequencing and flow cytometry are some of the most common techniques employed in cancer research labs.Drug DosageDosage is the size or frequency of the administration of a drug. Determination of the dosage of a drug is critical in pharmaceutical development to ensure the optimum balance between efficacy and toxicity.

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