March 28, 2011 -- BioFocus and Almac have initiated a collaboration which will provide BioFocus customers with compound screening and profiling services using Almac’s FLEXYTETM fluorescence lifetime (FLT) assays. FLT as a reading modality offers a robust, antibody free, homogeneous assay platform which enables the user to avoid interference from fluorescent compounds within a screening library.
BioFocus has launched an FLT screening and profiling service utilising the FLEXYTETM assay platform and now offer campaigns against targets including proteases, phosphatases and kinases. The unique properties of FLT have also been harnessed to open up access to previously inaccessible epigenetics target classes. Several approaches can be taken using the FLEXYTETM platform including fragment based screens and kinetic profiling.
‘Being able to incorporate FLT in our service offering enables BioFocus to provide clients an approach to screening and profiling that will unlock significant potential within their drug discovery efforts’ commented Dr Kate Hilyard, VP Biological Sciences, BioFocus.
‘We are delighted that BioFocus has chosen to add our FLEXYTETM platform to their service offering. We feel that this will allow a broad range of drug discovery groups access to the power of FLT’ said Dr Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director of Almac Sciences.
For media enquiries please contact:
Tristan Jervis , Associate Director DeFacto Communications T.Jervis@Defacto.com Tel: + 44 2078 613019
Robert Grundy, PhD Director Research Alliance, Almac Discovery Ltd Robert.grundy@almacgroup.com T: +44 (0) 28 3833 2200
About BioFocus:
BioFocus aims to expand its partners’ drug pipelines by accelerating the gene-to-drug candidate discovery process. This is achieved through a comprehensive discovery platform, which includes target discovery in human primary cells, focused as well as diverse compound libraries, in vitro and cell-based screening, structural biology, medicinal chemistry, ADME/PK services, supported by unique chemogenomic and informatics tools, and compound library acquisition, storage and distribution services. As a service division of Galapagos, BioFocus has over 250 employees in four countries worldwide. More information at biofocus.com.
About Almac Group
The Almac Group provides a broad range of services from R&D, biomarker discovery and development, API manufacture, formulation development, clinical trial supply and IXRS technology (IVRS/IWRS), to commercial-scale manufacture. Almac provides services to more than 600 companies, including all the world leaders in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors. The company employs over 3,000 individuals and is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland. US operations are based in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and California. Almac has now moved into its new $120m North American Headquarters located in Souderton PA.
For more information about the Almac Group, please visit www.almacgroup.com or e-mail info@almacgroup.com
