Genetix Granted U.S. Patent for Robotic Platform Imaging Technologies & ClonePix FL

Genetix Group plc , the cancer diagnostic and biopharmaceutical technologies group, has been granted US Patent No. 7,310,147. The patent covers a number of important features that include the integration of imaging capabilities into Genetix robotic platforms, most notably the ClonePix FL. It also provides Genetix with intellectual property rights in the US market for robots with integrated optics for single and multi-wavelength excitation and spectroscopic analysis of cells and cell colonies.

The new patent covers the use of spectroscopic measurements, such as fluorescence, to identify cells and colonies that produce biopharmaceutical proteins including:

• secreted proteins such as therapeutic antibodies measured by the addition of a fluorescent probe
• membrane bound proteins detected by fluorescent antibody or ligand
• fluorescent proteins within the cell

In addition the patent covers the use of various pin types to aspirate and pick cells and colonies identified upon the basis of the spectroscopic measurements.

“We’re delighted to have been granted the ‘147 patent, it covers a number of aspects of our technology within the field of cellular biology,” states Julian F. Burke PhD, Chief Scientific Officer. “These technologies enable Genetix’ customers to identify cell lines for therapeutic antibody production and identify and isolate stem cells. It is also complementary to our activities within the cell based diagnostic market,” he continued.