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Source: Bio-Synthesis, Inc.

Bio-Synthesis Inc. Introduces "BNA-NC" -- A Third Generation Multi-Functional Bridged Nucleic Acid

LEWISVILLE, Texas, Nov. 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bio-Synthesis, Inc., a leading biotech supplier of chemical biology reagents, is proud to announce that it has acquired a license from BNA Inc. of Osaka, Japan for the manufacturing and distribution of BNA-NC, a third generation of BNA oligonucleotides. This agreement is valid worldwide with the exception of Japan and is meant for research use only at this time (Patents JP: 4731324(2011.4.28), USP: 7427672(2008.9.23), EP: 1551905(2012.4.25)).

In 1997, the first generation BNA (2'-O,4'-C-methylene-bridged nucleic acid, 2',4'-BNA, also known as LNA) was developed by Prof. Takeshi Imanishi of Osaka University (now, Emeritus Professor and CEO of BNA Inc.) and co-workers. This was followed by development of second generation BNAs such as 2',4'-BNA-COC, 5'-amino-2',4'-BNA.

The third generation of 2',4'-BNA-NC contains a 6-membered ring with a N-O bond between the 2'-hydroxyl and the 4'-carbon of the ribose moiety. It exhibits very strong binding affinity to complementary single stranded RNA, DNA, and double stranded DNA with a highly sequence-selective mode. In particular, the binding ability to complementary RNA is significantly high. BNA-NC also possesses great stability due to its nuclease resistant properties. For more information on Bridged Nucleic Acids (BNAs) visit our web site (http://www.biosyn.com/).

Dr. Miguel Castro, CEO of Bio-Synthesis Inc. commented:

"In the past two decades we have seen the development of chemically modified oligonucleotides with enhanced binding properties to DNA and RNA. Most of these oligonucleotides also have increased affinity to complementary DNA. Some analogs such as Peptide Nucleic Acids (PNA) are fairly stable. However, they also have several disadvantages including a tendency to aggregate, limitation in size due to solubility issues and difficulty in integrating into chimeras of mixed oligos. The first generation BNA (2',4'-BNA/LNA) has good RNA binding affinity and fair stability to exonucleases. Third generation BNA (BNA-NC) improves on that by exhibiting superior binding affinity towards single stranded RNA, a better binding affinity to double stranded DNA and excellent enzymatic stability to exonucleases, thereby making it a great choice for many biological applications.

"We aim to expand our product offering with oligonucleotides which are sufficiently stable in physiological conditions and bind well to RNA complements. Variation of N-substitution at the 6-membered ring will result in additional advantages for biological applications. We are very excited to introduce BNA-NC oligonucleotides to the biomedical research community. These oligonucleotides will have a great impact in antisense, siRNA, SNP detection, FISH as well as a variety of diagnostic applications. BNA-NC can be used both as a primer and as a probe in a myriad of PCR and RT-PCR applications as well as applications in Molecular Biology research and commercial areas."

For more information, please contact Bio-Synthesis, Inc.

About Bio-Synthesis

Bio-Synthesis is a manufacturer of custom peptide synthesis, antibodies, bioconjugation, DNA, RNA, BNA, organic synthesis, organic synthesis, gene synthesis, cloning, detection kits, cell line authentication, and a diverse number of bimolecular products for the biomedical/life science community worldwide.

With over 28 years of experience producing custom products for both research and pharmaceutical use, BSI has developed a reputation for both small and large scale synthesis using optimal processes that meet your specifications. BSI is a U.S. based company, therefore all products are exclusively manufactured at the state-of-the-art facilities in Lewisville, Texas.

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