Strasbourg, France – October 28, 2014 – Polyplus-transfection SA, a privately-held company developing innovative technologies for molecular and cellular biology, and Blue Sky BioServices, a contract research organization (CRO) providing Gene Through Screen services for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D market, today announce a non-exclusive, research and commercial license agreement. Polyplus has granted Blue Sky BioServices a licence to use Polyethylenimine (PEI) for in vitro transfection applications.
Blue Sky BioServices, has become the 17th sub-licensee, and the 4th CRO to acquire rights from Polyplus to use its PEI-mediated transfection applications for research and commercial purposes. Of the other international Polyplus sub-licensees, five are big pharma companies. Six are in located in North America, and 11 in Europe. The license provides Blue Sky BioServices with freedom to use this globally recognized high performance technology from Polyplus-transfection to generate transfected cells to produce proteins, viruses and antibodies.
Polyplus-transfection is the worldwide, exclusive licensee of PEI for transfection applications. Transfection with PEI has the advantages of increased ease of use, a heightened transfection efficiency and excellent viability in mammalian cell lines most frequently chosen by scientists working in protein, virus and antibody production.
Blue Sky enables researchers in life science companies to work more efficiently by utilizing Blue Sky’s expertise and technologies in gene synthesis, protein production and purification, and specialized assay services. Blue Sky collaborates with customers globally to rapidly produce complex proteins which are widely used in research and discovery applications for screening, assay and drug development. Blue Sky uses proprietary and best in class technologies, such as PEI, to improve the quality and speed with which it meets customers’ needs.
“Polyplus’ large scale transient gene expression reagent PEIpro(R) is very important to companies operating research and developing therapies in a range of areas. Blue Sky BioServices, as the latest CRO to sign a licence to use our technology, keeps Polyplus’ transfection technology at the forefront of the battle to understand, treat and prevent cancer, as well as other infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases,” said Mark Bloomfield, CEO of Polyplus-transfection. “PEI-mediated transfection continues to be a core tool for all researchers working in these fields. The execution of this agreement with Blue Sky BioServices is another demonstration of the strength and significant value of Polyplus’ specific intellectual property rights in PEI-mediated nucleic acid delivery for research and commercial purposes.”
“Blue Sky is pleased to add Polyplus’ PEI technology to our service capabilities. It complements our investment in our own novel process technologies and labs,” said Ted Marple, President and CEO of Blue Sky BioServices. “We chose Polyplus’ technology because of its proven transfection efficiency which will help us to reliably meet customers’ timelines and quality requirements.”
Financial terms were not disclosed.
About Polyplus-transfection SA Polyplus-transfection SA is a biotechnology company that develops, markets and sells innovative solutions for the in vivo, in vitro and ex vivo delivery of nucleic acids in research, bioproduction and therapeutics. Located close to the University of Strasbourg in Eastern France, Polyplus-transfection has been ISO 9001-certified since 2002 and supplies its proprietary range of reagents for the transfection of genes, oligonucleotides and siRNA through a worldwide distributor network. Polyplus reagents are involved in a growing number of clinical trials worldwide. In addition, Polyplus-transfection holds a broad estate of patents and licenses including original methods for therapeutic siRNA delivery.
For more information, please visit the Polyplus-transfection web site at: www.polyplus-transfection.com
About Blue Sky BioServices
Blue Sky BioServices is the leading contract research organization (CRO) providing Gene Through Screen services in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D market. Our clients enhance the quality and speed of their research by utilizing Blue Sky’s premium services such as vector gene synthesis, E. coli, Insect and Mammalian Scale-Up, antibody cloning and production, protein purification, radiometric assays, and assay execution (screening). Blue Sky invests heavily in experienced people, leading-edge technology, and state-of-the-art laboratory facilities. Because of these investments in people and quality systems, Blue Sky provides unmatched quality and turnaround times. Blue Sky is majority owned by Ampersand Capital Partners, a healthcare-focused, middle market private equity firm. For more information, please visit www.BlueskyBioServices.com.
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