COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., April 8, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- HemoGenix(R), Inc., a privately-held contract research and assay development company, reported that the USPTO has issued the first two of several patent applications for the company's HALO(R) technology. HALO(R) is the 21st century answer and the only alternative to, and replacement for, the traditional colony-forming cell (CFC) assay, first described in 1966.
HALO(R) was developed and validated by HemoGenix(R) with the help of a SBIR Phase I and II grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI). Development began in January 2001. The HALO(R) Platform for in vitro hemotoxicity testing of new drug candidates being developed by biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies was launched at the Society of Toxicology meeting in March 2001. Since that time, HemoGenix(R) has developed 3 versions of its HALO(R) Platform, each designed for specific applications.
The HALO(R) Research Platform is for basic research scientists in academia and other research institutions. The HALO(R) Stem and Progenitor Cell -- Quality Control (SPC-QC) and HALO(R)-96 PQR (Potency, Quality Release) Platforms were designed for stem cell transplantation and cord blood bank processing laboratories to address the requirement for "appropriate" and "validated" assays for umbilical cord blood stem cell products prior to transplantation into patients. Finally, the HALO(R) Predictive Hemotoxicity Platform was designed for all stages of drug development from early high-throughput screening to pre-clinical studies and patient monitoring during clinical trials. The HALO(R) Hemotoxicity Platform provides easy to use, robust, reliable and validated predictive tools to detect potential toxic side effects to stem cells of the blood-forming (hematopoietic) system for drug development and environmental agent testing.
All HALO(R) platforms rely on highly sensitive and fully standardized, instrument-based, ATP bioluminescence technology. This innovative technology has allowed HemoGenix(R) to become "The Leader in Hemotoxicity Testing."
Instrumental in the issuance of the patents by the USPTO were David Rosenbaum and Donna Becker of Rosenbaum & Associates, P.C. of Northbrook, IL. "If it was not for David's interest and belief in HemoGenix and Donna's exuberance in learning and obtaining a thorough understanding of our work and products and her persistence and communication with the USPTO, we would certainly not be in this position today," said Ivan Rich, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of HemoGenix(R). "For a small, but growing company like HemoGenix(R), IP is of fundamental importance to us, not only as validation for what we do, but also for future business, market share and strategic partnerships. This is an important milestone for us. I am extremely grateful to David Rosenbaum and Donna Becker for all the help, assistance and trust they have given us and continue to give us."
About HemoGenix(R), Inc.
HemoGenix(R) Inc., a privately-held contract research and assay development company was started in 2000 in South Carolina and relocated to Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2003. HemoGenix has developed its own portfolio of proprietary and now patented in vitro assay platforms for basic research, stem cell quality control, potency and release assays for stem cell transplantation processing laboratories and toxicity, safety and risk assessment for drug development and environmental testing. HemoGenix(R) develops and validates its in vitro assays first for its contract services and then as assay kits for in house use that are sold directly or through its distributors worldwide.
About Rosenbaum & Associates, P.C.
Rosenbaum & Associates, P.C., located in Northbrook, IL, is a full spectrum intellectual property law firm providing services for the life sciences community. The firm specializes in meeting the needs of start-up and emerging companies and has successfully worked with individual inventors, university faculty members and entrepreneurs during the entire corporate life-cycle. The firm is committed to providing business-oriented intellectual property legal services in a prompt, courteous and professional manner.
CONTACT: Ivan N. Rich, Ph.D., Founder & CEO of HemoGenix(R), Inc.,
+1-719-264-6250
Web site: http://hemogenix.com/
