Universal Assay Kit For Kinase And Phosphatase Development From QTL Biosystems

SANTA FE, N.M., March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- QTL Biosystems today announced the introduction of its Universal Development Kit for Kinase and Phosphatase Assays following the release of additional Serine/Threonine and Tyrosine Kinases. Together these products provide a platform for developing assays for the two categories of kinases that make up the human kinome. The Universal platform for Tyrosine and Serine/Threonine Kinases is based on QTL Lightspeed(R) Super-quenching technology, which provides advanced tools for assay development and high throughput screening (HTS) of kinases, one of the most important target classes in drug discovery today. The development of successful drugs that target kinases, such as Gleevac and Iressa - which selectively target cancer cells but leave healthy cells unharmed - is being aggressively pursued by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, who are looking for quicker, easier solutions for targeting kinase inhibitors.

Kinase pathways play an essential role in signal transduction and the control of metabolism, transcription, apoptosis and differentiation. As a result, kinases have been implicated in a number of diseases processes such as cancer, inflammation and diabetes. Over 500 different kinases have been identified, representing ~1.7% of all human genes. One of the major challenges facing pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies searching for potential drug targets is finding a technology that enables them to develop a proprietary kinase target with a platform that is easy to use, cost-effective, and meets sensitivity requirements. The QTL Super-quenching technology accelerates the process by providing a quick, sensitive, and inexpensive method to develop an assay. The Universal Assay Kit is a replacement technology for current methodologies and eliminates the expensive reagents and hazardous materials required for radiometric and antibody-based technologies, such as HTRF, SPA, and FP. This platform will enable the end user to utilize as much as fifty percent less reagents and enzyme to develop a superior assay.

“The QTL Lightspeed(R) Universal Assay Development kit is very easy to use and is more cost effective when compared to SPA, FlashPlate, or HTRF. I was able to develop a robust assay using my own substrate and enzyme without divulging the proprietary nature of our target,” stated Chris Sneeringer, Ph.D. from Millennium Pharmaceuticals. “The assay gives excellent performance at lower volumes and will provide significant savings for enzymes and other reagents while delivering robust performance.”

“Kinase inhibitors are important drug targets that are screened at all major pharmaceutical companies. They represent a new generation of drugs that target the underlying molecular processes of the cell and are in a position to radically change the future treatments for cancer and other diseases,” stated Paul Gindlesperger, Vice President of Worldwide Sales and Marketing at QTL Biosystems. “QTL’s Super-quenching technology continues to meet the growing demands of high throughput screening, with its stable signal, precision, inherent flexibility and the ease in which it is incorporated into all kinase screening. It is rapidly becoming the preferred assay to screen for kinase activity. With the QTL Lightspeed(R) platform, the pace of assay development and screening for unique or proprietary kinases is accelerated with the same ease of miniaturization and low cost-per-well that QTL Lightspeed(R) users have come to expect.”

About QTL Biosystems

QTL Biosystems, LLC of Santa Fe, New Mexico, develops and markets bioassays that deliver superior sensitivity, specificity, and speed in simple to use formats with low total cost of detection. The Company delivers enzyme activity and protein binding assays for the pharmaceutical and life sciences markets, and Biosensor Systems for first responders, medical triage personnel and military users. Bioassay products are available for the detection of viruses, toxins, bacteria, proteins, hormones, nucleic acids and other biological compounds. The Company’s novel technologies integrate its expertise in chemistry, molecular and cell biology and instrumentation.

Contact: Tom Buscher Product Manager info@qtlbio.com QTL Biosystems, LLC 2778 Agua Fria Street Santa Fe, NM 87507 (505) 424-1000, ext. 110 http://www.qtlbio.com/

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QTL Biosystems, LLC

CONTACT: Tom Buscher, Product Manager of QTL Biosystems, LLC,+1-505-424-1000, ext. 110, info@qtlbio.com