HAMPSHIRESHIRE, UK, and BOSTON, August 11, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Genetix Group plc (Other OTC:GXGPF) (LSE: GTX), the genomics and proteomics technology group, today announces the launch of a new instrument for mammalian cell colony picking, the ClonePix, at the Drug Discovery Technology conference in Boston, USA.
The ClonePix utilizes Genetix's core skills in imaging, picking and placing and expands the Company's product range into the area of cell biology. Furthermore, it moves Genetix's products up the drug development value chain into biopharmaceutical development and manufacturing.
The ClonePix will have applications in several aspects of biopharmaceutical production and has been developed by Genetix in direct response to the needs of its customers. One of the world's largest biopharmaceutical companies based in the US has already purchased the machine for its own research. The ClonePix is capable of automatically imaging, recognizing and picking mammalian cell colonies from either semi-solid media or monolayers growing on cell culture dishes. This is the first step in the production and selection of monoclonal antibodies and other cells used in the production of biopharmaceuticals.
Monoclonal antibody production is an increasingly important area of focus for biotechnology companies. Around 25% of biopharmaceutical drugs currently in Phase II trials are based on monoclonal antibodies. In order to make a monoclonal antibody, thousands of potential antibody-producing clones have to be screened, a process which until now has been carried out manually, examining culture dishes by eye and picking individual cell colonies using a pipette. Genetix's equipment will enable a lab to screen over 5,000 colonies per week compared with 1,000 using conventional methods.
The ClonePix can also be used to automate the selection of transfected cells (cells containing modified genes for the production of proteins), and cell lines for pharmaceutical screening.
Future developments are likely to include adapting the instrument to measure the levels of biopharmaceutical produced by colonies before picking and modifying the platform to pick stem cells.
Julian Burke PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of Genetix, commented:
"The ClonePix will have a major impact in the area of mammalian cell colony picking. We expect it to be comparable to the revolution in throughput that occurred when automated machines replaced toothpicks in picking bacterial colonies for DNA sequencing. The ClonePix will also allow data tracking and improve the accuracy of clone management and development. This machine responds directly to the needs of our customers. We are highly encouraged that one of the world's leading biopharmaceutical companies has chosen to buy the first ClonePix, even before its official launch."
About Genetix
Genetix Group plc is based in New Milton, Hampshire, UK. It develops, manufactures and markets high-throughput equipment and related items used for research into human, and plant genomics, proteomics and cell biology. It currently supplies equipment to more than 150 customers worldwide in the pharmaceutical, agricultural and food industries including GlaxoSmithKline, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Celera Genomics, Millennium Pharmaceuticals and the Max Planck Institutes. In addition, the Group has made a significant contribution to the Human Genome Project by supplying equipment to seven of the leading eight laboratories involved in the consortia. Genetix acquired the Genpak group in October 2000 before floating successfully on the London Stock Exchange in November 2000.
A photograph and specification sheet are also available for this product.
This information is provided by RNS. The company news service from the London Stock Exchange